


Bloody Nuisance

by MeiHwa



Category: TFTDC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-19 09:08:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 67,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29997087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeiHwa/pseuds/MeiHwa
Summary: Flashback Friday: Today's Archive story is one of my favorite threads I started for Al, way back -over ten years back, that was never quite finished. We find Al a bit broken down after a war had pulled away most of his family and friends. Life was feeling lifeless, so he drops all to go in search of something more to his liking.I am dividing it up into a few chapters just for easier reading. Many thanks to my old RP partners!
Collections: Tales from the Dark City





	1. Chapter 1

**Moonraes Castle and Tavern**

**Realms = > Nordwood => Topic started by: Al_thenolifeking on September 23, 2010, 04:12:41 PM **

Title: **Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **September 23, 2010, 04:12:41 PM**

There was nothing new in the tavern's cellar. Al reached a long arm out to run his finger over the sealed wine bottles, thumping one bottle into the next in vexation. It was too cramped an area for him to be at his full height, but he preferred feeling cramped when he felt so annoyed. He'd slipped into the queens private cellar a few times already and found nothing new in the last few days. All of the blood he found was fresh as the bodies that pumped them, he wouldn't deny that. It was just that everything was the same far too often. Even the people were becoming stale to him. Perhaps with Al giving away his favorite little angels, no longer having them being his own, he'd become picky. Not one new visitor had dropped by the castle to entice him with some new blood scent. 

Or perhaps it wasn't the blood that was bothering him.When he was beginning to accept those that claimed to be his 'family', they all vanish on him. Shallen, his grandfather and keeper wandered off, leaving him without a soul to challenge. Just when Al thought he might have a little fun again with Lucian coming back from whatever war the Bright Prince been fighting, Lucian vanished with Grey. Grey wasn't about to offer him any sort of conflict even if Grey was around. Mei was... well she didn't seem to recognize him at all and kept perfectly happy watching over Lili. Someone had to with Tame fairly useless after Hope's death. He'd always liked Tame. Al couldn't help but like dear old daddy with his abundance of liveliness. But now... It was like the life had left Tame. 

Al really didn't deal well with those sort of changes... not at all. 

Al heard the muted voices of the tavern occupants above him, discussing places they'd been. MoonRae's wasn't the only castle in the area, Al thought to himself. There had to be other cellars and new blood to experience just a few steps away.~Perhaps its bloody well time for a change of my own.~ Much celebration yelled up from inside his mind in a cacophony of voices.~Not that sort you greedy little bastards.~ He couldn't blame them for wanting him to leave his place at the top of the heap. He wasn't so tired of this world to give up on life yet. Chuckling at the dejected groans within, Al stepped forward, shifting from the cellar to the catacombs beneath the castle. 

A tune not belonging to the time eased between his lips as he looked around the pitch black area. Dust swirled up around him as his coat brushed the dirt floor. He called out to the long dead around him in a jovial tone. "Farewell my friends!" He switched back to sing out the chorus of the song in his head. 

"I got the ways and means 

to New Orleans 

I'm going down by the river where it's warm and green 

I'm gonna have a drink 

and walk around 

I got a lot to think about 

oh yeah" 

Tugging his coffin off the shelf he tossed it onto his back. His humming started again with great enthusiasm. It had been a long time since he took a walk into the unknown. The descriptions of a particularly promising location popped into his thoughts and he focused on them. It was a good thing to listen to weary travelers and their tales. He would never make it to Nordwood without them. Walking there without the path between time and space... having to rely on directions and exerting himself? No, no, no... that just wasn't his way. With his first step, MoonRae's catacombs vanished into the void between one moment and the next. His view of the world warped from his starting point to his end point in only a few steps. Hefting his coffin higher on his shoulder he studied the dark room that was smaller than his last home. Small and intimate, Al thought, still humming his song. Gently he set his coffin on end and moved closer to the wall holding inset shelves of the dearly departed. 

He bowed low to the bones laying on a large shelf and took its hand as he stood tall again. Pulling the hand, he brought the skeleton upright, pleased that it wasn't so long dead that it could still dance with him. Whether it was the decaying clothes or the fragile remains of flesh that held the bones together, the dead woman didn't disintegrate under Al's treatment. Al danced over to the wall and leaned the skeleton up against it. "Thanks for letting me share your bed." Gently he took up his coffin again and slid it carefully onto the shelf, taking great care not to scratch it. He probably should cover it in an equal amount of dust like the other shelves had but he could not bring himself to dull the surface. Plus, it was against his contract to harm the box in any way. Patting it lightly, he sighed. "Bloody nuisance, you are." he said a bit lovingly. A grin returned to his face as he bowed again to the skeleton. "You really aren't my type, but..." he danced the skeleton back to its resting place and dipped it low. "beggars can't be choosers." Al carefully lifted the body back to its shelf and slid it in front of the coffin. 

~The song he's humming, available at DC on WDCR ;)~ 

Artist: Concrete Blonde 

Song: Bloodletting (The Vampire Song) 

Album: Bloodletting (1990) 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **September 30, 2010, 07:15:36 AM**

“Where is everybody?" Al asked around the cross clenched between his teeth. He lifted another tomb lid. “Such nice monuments to obviously well off aristos. I smell a few undead here somewhere." There weren't that many rooms in the mausoleum he found himself in. Al's had been through them all and checked every resting place. He clicked the cross as he tapped his teeth together. While he held up the tomb lid with one hand, he pulled out the decaying corpse with the other. “My, your family sure did send you to the hereafter in style." He dusted of the corpse's cheek. “A shame they don't take you out once and a while. You could use some fresh air." 

Tossing the body to his shoulder, Al dropped the tomb lid. At that point he didn't care if someone found him. He was talking to the long dead! It'd be a nice change to see the living. He stepped over to the other corpses he'd propped up and arranged about the room. “I bet its been years since you saw your family." Carefully, he sat the body down and arranged him into a sitting position. Throwing his hands and arms out he gave a chuckle. “Welcome to the family reunion." 

“Hmm," he said as he observed the group. The room had been rearranged. Al shifted caskets and pedestals around until they looked more like furniture. The mouth hung open of the skeleton he'd just placed and he turned the head to look at the companion skeleton to his left. At one time, she had been a well dresses female, if the remains of her clothes and coffin were any indication. Al brought the hand up to the female's gaping mouth in a pose that looked like she was shocked by what her companion had said. To her left another female leaned in as if to whisper in her ear behind the fan he'd found tucked into her casket. The others about the room had been arranged with equal care taking account for whatever trinkets they'd been buried with. The pair that had died young were playing cards while another older male leaning into the corner sneaking a swallow from a long empty flask. 

Of course now that he'd moved everyone and set them up in a macabre party, he lost interest. He wasn't one to play with the dead very long unless they were capable of playing back. Hands stuck deep into his pockets, Al clicked his teeth around his cross in frustration. There was such a high chance to be a live one in one of these crypts but he'd not found a single one that was empty or recently occupied. Then again, the amount of dust around the mausoleum could mean that it was for only the truly dead. The dead dead don't get up often. _I guess they have to put the bodies somewhere..._

That was all fine to Al. It meant it was less likely for anyone to disturb his own coffin, not that anyone would ever see him in it. It was fitted nicely on the ancient self in the lower section of the mausoleum. Even if someone pulled it off the shelf to try and open it, they would find it locked up tightly. Not that Al would ever let anyone near it. 

His eyes drifted about the room again and he chuckled to himself at the way the last three he'd set up looked. It was then that he realized he'd been humming again. Leaning over the companion of the shocked female skeleton, he sang words for their conversation. 

She held Wanda's hand as they 

worked out a plan 

And it didn't take long to decided 

That Earl had to die 

His head shot up and his eyes narrowed as a evil grin stretched over his lips. Yes, he definitely had heard something. "Goodbye Earl..." Al whispered before hiding.

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 05, 2010, 10:41:37 AM**

There was just something about dusk. Raen usually had the day to herself, to do whatever she wished, but come night fall, she'd taken up a habit to "disappear." It'd become a game of sorts, but it was the same every night. She would leave the manor and go somewhere, usually one of a few different places, and she would wait there. When Keshadei would wake in the twilight, servants would be sent to look for Raen and return her to the manor. A lot of times, the servants didn't seem to mind the escape from the manor, but when they couldn't find the young woman, that was another matter; it meant Keshadei would be upset with them...and with Raen when she was found. 

This evening was no particular exemption from the norm. Raen was out of the manor and wandering the grounds. Only this time, for possibly the first time, she had no idea of her intended destination. Going to the piers was too common a thing of late; the servants had little difficulty finding her since that was the first place they searched. Going to the village wasn't usually an option; she tended to stay as far from the villagers as she could when the merchant ships weren't docked and wares for sale. That was perhaps why Raen was wandering the back of the grounds where the private cemetery was located. She was wearing a hooded cloak so has to hide her identity as best it could, especially the marine blue hair. 

As she was wandering past one of the few mausoleums on the property, Raen was forced to stop and listen. She could have sworn she heard singing...and it was a song she recognized. No one in this time period could know it... Yet, there it was. Curiously, she stepped closer and closer, listening as hard she could until she was right next to the door of one of the little buildings to house the long dead. The sudden disappearance of the song, however, had Raen blinking and looking around. Had she been hearing things? But she couldn't have been... She wasn't thinking of a song when she heard it! And the person singing sounded...male? Definitely not one of the Dixie Chicks, since they weren't even born yet! Deciding she wanted to investigate despite the possible danger, Raen pressed both hands against the door of the mausoleum and pushed. Partly to her surprise, the huge door budged and opened. Following a slight gulp at the eeriness, Raen tried to steel herself against fear; it would do her no good to investigate if she were jumping at every little thing....and it was just the dead... Right? 

Slowly, she began to descend the stairs into the little room below, calling out "Is anyone here?" in a softer voice than she had intended, fearful even. So much for not being afraid, she thought to herself. When she got to the bottom only a few steps later, Raen paused in shock at the macabre sight. Decaying and decayed bodies all arranged and positioned about as if in some sort of celebration or party. Raen could hardly move from her spot, looking around at the discomforting sight. Someone must have done this.... But who? 

"Hello?"


	2. Chapter 2

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 06, 2010, 07:06:01 AM**

There were not a lot of places to hide since he'd moved all the 'furniture' around. However, he knew that few people looked up when they entered a room. They look into the dark corners and under things but rarely look right over their heads. That is where Al chose to hide. The room had a high ceiling, unlike the lower level. It still wasn't enough for Alucard to stand his full height, but it was enough for him hold himself in place. 

He stood on the molding ledge that was no more than 6 inches wide. Only room for his heals to have firm support, the rest of his long lanky body stretched up and over the ceiling. It wasn't humanly possible to stay perched as he was. Near the waist, his body bent to fit tightly to the ceiling. Instead of having his arms stretched out flat, just the tips of his fingers touched surface to each side his head. His head was turned down to watch the girl through the red lenses of his glasses. 

Al watched the girl's cautious entrance. It was strange that the girl carried no light. Well it was strange until he caught a good whiff of her scent. She smelled fresh, new and altogether different. It was marvelous. _Dhampir_ he thought and a grin fully showing his own bright white fangs matched the widened whites of his eyes. A 'Mmmm' of appreciation rumbled in his chest. In reaction to her mixed blood, his own scent filled the room with the smell of fresh blood. "Join our little party, girl. We could use another live one in here." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 14, 2010, 06:14:10 AM**

It wasn't as if she'd expected a response. It wasn't as if she could even be sure this display hadn't been done weeks or days ago and whoever had done it was gone. It was just the general idea that when you saw something like this, you automatically had to see if someone was around, and that meant calling out with a "Hello" much the way she had. 

Raen couldn't have expected to get any response really, but the "mmm" rumble from somewhere had the hairs at the back of her neck standing. Her eyes fell around the entire sight, looking for a source, even as the room filled with the scent of blood. It was...intoxicating, that smell, but the words that came to follow had her looking even more around, trying to ignore her sense of smell for that moment. 

The one thing those words had to offer was a suggestion of location... Raen's head lifted with her gaze to peer above her head, only to gasp at the sight beheld there... 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 14, 2010, 06:15:05 AM**

"Not running in terror? No screams of hysteria? That's a good girl." Peering at her through his glasses, he could see how the blood in her skin shifted the slightest bit as the tiny muscles at the base of each hair. It was a reaction purely made by the nervous system and not the blood, but he knew its source well. In such a setting, fear was its origin. "Though from that look in your eye perhaps I should just stay up here." A deep, rumbling chuckle echoed in the little room. He could also see the hunger rising in her plainly enough. He did push up against the ceiling, pushing his upper body closer. Looking at her upside down made him grin evilly. Something about her gasping mouth looked utterly funny to him. The temptation to release a drop of blood to fall into that gaping mouth and take a real look at her made one of his hands fist against the ceiling. Al's grin vanished for a more serious look. "Close your mouth girl." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 14, 2010, 06:43:13 AM**

There was some, very false, hope at the back of her mind that what she was seeing...wasn't real. Of course, it was. He'd spoken...and he smelled like blood; he was the source...had to be. There was a lack of idea that fell upon her as to what to do now... She could run, but she wasn't sure that her feet would obey her brain's command to do so. And it was almost as if that evil look upon his face had her trapped there, a small certainty telling her that he'd follow if she did leave. 

In fact, the only move she made at all was a reaction to her being told to close her mouth. It would have been easy to just do that, but Raen's mouth closed and one hand slipped up to cover her lips, too. From behind that shielding hand, she stammered "W-who are you?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 14, 2010, 06:44:00 AM**

"Alucard," he said in a drawn out enunciation, making each syllable very distinct. Suddenly he moved. Launching himself off the ledge his feet rested on, he flipped forward and twisted in the air in a boneless movement that only confirmed he wasn't human. Al landed facing her and the scent of blood died down as he lost interest in tempting such an easily temped dhampir. "The Blood King!" he exclaimed with a smile and started chuckling as he turned to the two decaying boys he'd set up to play cards. "The No Life King!" Looking over the shoulder of one, examining the hand and playing a card with a "Ha!" Chuckling on he moved to pick up the third hand that was resting by itself and sat as if rejoining the game. "The Bastard, the nuisance, the evil one." 

His smile vanished quickly into a frown and he started singing softly under his breath. Almost as if he'd decided to ignore the girl, Al focused on playing the game, playing everyone's hand. 

_how can you see into my eyes like open doors_

_leading you down into my core_

_where I've become so numb without a soul my spirit sleeping somewhere cold_

_until you find it there and lead it back home_

He continued on humming with occasion softly spoken interruptions of "Wake me up, I can't wake up, Save me" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 14, 2010, 11:11:36 AM**

There was distrust in her eyes as Raen watched the strange being very carefully. Indeed, he wasn't human to smell so strongly of blood, but she wasn't sure what he might be. And she really wasn't afforded the time to think on it since he loosed his footing of the ledge above to drop so...fantastically in front of her. She took a step back and away from him, not entirely in fear but also not trusting him not to touch her. He'd already begun to say his name...and a list of titles, all of which weren't seriously said at all. He couldn't possibly be serious, not in that tone. 

As he began to play cards as if an actual game were occurring (he was the only person moving any of the cards at all), Raen watched from her spot just at the base of stairs, not daring to move further into the little room of the mausoleum. 

And then he was...humming.... The song was too familiar, too, for her to keep her peace on it. "You're insane," she started in observation, as if it made some difference as to his mannerisms. Her head shook. "Seriously, who are you? And why do you know those songs?" She was referring to the current selection and the one that had brought her here. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 15, 2010, 07:05:03 AM**

The little dhampir was too tempting. Just when he'd sworn off keeping his little angels, another candidate showed up to tempt him. It was a fleeting hope that in ignoring her, the temptation would go away. But her presence persisted, her blood called him to feed on its confusing mix, and her distrustful movements told him she wasn't about to run. 

Her last question caught his attention and made him pause in discarding. It was only for a moment, long enough to showed that he had been surprised, but his smile returned in a mocking grin. “You ask the insane to be serious?" That laughter of his raked across the walls but didn't lend to his sanity. 

"I heard them on the radio, just like you did I imagine. Can't the long dead enjoy music?" The glasses dropped down his nose without the aid of his hand. Red eyes that pulsed bright in a heartbeat rhythm could be seen through the darkness. "If you've come hunting, little dhampir, go away. I'm not up to killing some teenage goth looking for some vampire teeth." He must have miscalculated and walked farther than he thought. Studying the girl in her antique clothes and blue hair, Al thought to himself, _what other conclusions could there be?_ He'd just have a little fun and play along before moving again. It was a pity... he was just beginning to like the place. 

"If you're after a drink of my ancient blood, you'd best forget that too." The skeletal hand to his left was pulled closer to cheat. "You haven't fed and neither have I. That could get messy." Al's lips were set somewhere between a frown and a smirk, making him look caught between thought and mirth. "How long have I been down here getting depressed with the dead?" Since she'd already called him insane and she was a dhampir the question shouldn't be too surprising. "What year is it?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 18, 2010, 07:54:02 PM**

She did watch him. She was aware of his attempt to ignore her. She could see that he couldn't just do that. That was probably what kept Raen where she was standing, eying him, waiting for him to make any move at all that would suggest danger. Instead, he was breaking into laughter. "Insane," she repeated with the shake of her head. Then, lifting her shoulders in a shrug, she added as if in afterthought, "It's a figure of speech." Not that he'd understand. He wasn't from her time period....yet he knew songs that were. And as if his thoughts could share a similar pattern to her own, he mentioned a radio. That had her eyes glancing all around them in the little space. After a moment, she finally observed, "There aren't radios here." He could take the meaning of her words as being in the one place, the one building. But her own mind was expanding that meaning to the time frame. It was absurd to think he might have a radio here. It was still so many centuries away from being invented. The only way he could have one would be if he could travel through time...and bring something back with him. 

Before she could think longer on it, he was telling her to leave. Her head shook again. "I'm not goth, and I'm not looking for vampire teeth." She shrugged in some fashion of boredom with his comments. "I have my own." And then his line of questioning had her to silence again, thinking. He really had to insane...didn't he? To the question of the year, Raen's shoulder lifted more visibly in a shrug, she deciding then was a good time to step toward the closest displayed body and to study it as if it were truly fascinating. "What year do you think it is?" She was curious to know _that_. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 20, 2010, 07:15:48 AM**

There was no quickening of her pulse, no hesitation beyond thinking of an answer. So calmly she said she had her own teeth. She wasn't lying, but she was damn well avoiding the truth. He lifted his head making his glasses hide his narrowed eyes. One white gloved hand reached into his coat and slowly drew something out. In the last time he remembered being in, it was just an odd object he carried to most and only a few out of sync people felt any fear seeing it. The rolling click as he drew the hammer back to chamber a round only caused terror in those that had heard it before and recognized its danger. "Now little dhampir, I don't care much for questions and riddles being my answers." Al used his other free hand to lift his cross to click his teeth on the metal before asking a final question and grinding his teeth on it. "Care to rephrase any of that?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 20, 2010, 07:16:11 AM**

Her attention wasn't on him entirely to know when he was pulling something from his coat. It wasn't until she heard the click of the gun that she knew something was wrong. Her head lifted and gaze fell onto him and the gun he held. She tried forcing her heartbeat not to get excited, a feat that wasn't so easy when you were unarmed and a gun was pointing toward you. "They weren't riddles." She turned to face him entirely, ignoring the body she'd been inspecting. "And nothing I said was a lie. I just want to know what year you think it is." One shoulder lifted as she added "Thought you might be thinking wrong." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 20, 2010, 07:16:35 AM**

The gun lifted to point at the ceiling and he clicked his teeth on the cross over and over in frustration. It and its counterpart were carefully concealed from all in inappropriate time periods. Damn it she knew what it was but still she said she didn't lie. She could be lying since her pulse increased but there was just something off with her little statements. He shoved the gun back inside the folds of his coat into the shoulder holster where it was never really seen. "Hmm..." In three flashing steps, he blinked in and out of existence until he was out from behind all the bodies and at the steps. He took them 2 at a time as he ran up to the top and cautiously pushed the door open. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 20, 2010, 07:16:59 AM**

She watched him gnawing on the cross, her own confusion rising at the idea that a vampire was even wearing a cross... But he was holstering his gun and making movement toward the stairs and door before she could even think to ask anything. She turned and as he was about to open the door, or as he was doing so, she said from behind "Surprise."


	3. Chapter 3

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 20, 2010, 07:17:43 AM**

"No skyscrappers... no pollution other than that damn smell of manure and other refuse... well definitely not the time I expected." He looked at Raen through his glasses with a smirk on his face. "I wonder who's more out of place... you or me, Brat?" He shoved the door all the way open and strode purposefully outside, very aware of where he was. It was where he should be after all. His full height was well over 6 ft and the red of his coat and hat were definitely clearer in the moonlight. Lifting his face up, almost basking in the light, he said softly, "What a great night." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 22, 2010, 08:18:41 AM**

While he mused over the scents in the air and sights around, Raen was exiting the mausoleum entirely to stand somewhere off to the side of him. His comment of who was out of place had her shrugging one shoulder, using the opposite hand to brush a strand of her hair from her face. "Think it's me." Or it should be. Seeing him standing there, the way he was, had her shaking her head. He was definitely an odd figure. Tall and...red. "If you're from here, how do you know what a radio is?" And, as an afterthought, "I'm not a brat."

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 22, 2010, 08:20:13 AM**

"Keep thinking what you like, Brat. I'm from here now. I was from Moonraes this morning. I was from other places before that." His eyes slid open to look at her sideways behind his glasses without moving the rest of his body. "You should learn to live where you are. That's what I do." He grinned and looked quite convinced when he said, "I live in that mausoleum." His whole head snapped in a different direction suddenly like a hawk spotting a field mouse. A servant seemed to be out and about at this late hour doing or looking for something. He clicked the cross clenched between his teeth more rapidly. "Time to visit the locals." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 22, 2010, 08:32:44 AM**

Her arms folded over her chest in stubbornness. She pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone, "Different places aren't..." She paused there to shake her head. No, she wasn't going to go at that. Keshadei would have a heart attack or something... Well, maybe not literally. But she'd still be mighty upset. 

When he looked in another direction, Raen's gaze followed. To her dismay, she saw it, too. The servant was on her tail. She sighed in frustration. She should have gotten further than this!!! "Don't draw attention," she asked of him. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 22, 2010, 08:33:40 AM**

"Why?" he asked already turning to look. "If you haven't noticed, I'm a bit hard to miss." He turned back with a leer and his eyes were wide as he spoke in a excitedly pleased voice. "I like it that way!" His head snapped around at the servant. "Besides I'm hungry." He gave a piercing whistle and a call. "Oi!" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 22, 2010, 08:17:37 PM**

"Because they're looking for me," she hissed at him, as if it might make a difference and change his mind. Highly doubtful, but it was a chance. While she spoke, Raen kept her gaze locked toward the servant, trying to decide if she ought to run, hide, or remain in sight. The choice didn't have long to be made given that he was shouting right at the person!!! 

Quickly, Raen ducked back into the doorway of the mausoleum, trying to fit into the shadows. It was bound to be a wasted attempt, but it was still an attempt. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 26, 2010, 07:40:25 AM**

John, the servant, had though he saw Raen by the mausoleum, but the tall man in red that called to him was far from being the girl. In fact, something about how the man called to him and looked at him made him want to run the other way. "Guard," he called out softly at first once the eyes of that man snapped to meet his. "Guard!" he called out a bit louder and some inner fear ate at him when he turned his head to see if the sentry standing not to far away had heard him. 

"Oho, don't be that way," Al said after moving from where he stood to the servants side. He loomed over John and tossed an arm around his shoulders in a friendly yet intimidating way. "I'm just a bit lost." The contact was enough to feed, and Al had to say, it wasn't the best but it was a nice change. "Where the hell am I anyway?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 26, 2010, 07:42:17 AM**

What was going to be the night's watch was starting out quiet. The guard stood at his usual post with arms crossed, gaze cast about now and then to watch for any thing that he might have to handle. He'd seen the servant go by, which meant the Lady's ward was about. His head shook at that thought, but his idea of quiet was interrupted by the sound of John's voice. Immediately, his sword was drawn as he moved from his post and toward where John had gone. 

When he got there and saw the man, the guard took a stance and practically shouted at the strange man with an arm draped over John's shoulders, "You there! Release the man and state your name! What's your business here?" 

Raen was hidden in the doorway of the mausoleum, or at least she figured she was. What was she supposed to do? She didn't want to be found this soon! But she couldn't have this Alucard person doing anything to the servant..or the guard. Still, she didn't want to be found...and she didn't even know Alucard aside from the few minutes she'd been with him in the mausoleum... 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 26, 2010, 07:43:47 AM**

"My current business is finding out where the hell I am." Al straitened to his full height that had somehow been hidden by his hugging on John. One gloved hand patted John on the head. "I wasn't hurting your little friend or anything. Just wanted to ask him where I was and where I could get a drink." A little louder he said, "It's not like I'm causing a distraction or anything." What followed was a wide grin and a nod of his head that was far from reassuring. "I am Lord Alucard." 

The man's arm around John made him stiffen even though he felt warmer for it. Weren't you suppose to feel a creep of cold up your neck when you were afraid? The blessed voice of the guard gave him some relief. John wanted to believe it was the guard and not the strange man touching him. God help him, he didn't want to be spelled by some strange man. The patting on his head was far from light, making him wince and cringe under the assault. "He ... he did ask me where he was. I was ah... pretty startled at first." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 26, 2010, 07:44:26 AM**

The Guard's position didn't relax, even when the man answered his questions. It was the proclamation of a name that had the guard looking for a better look at the man hanging over John. His clothing was fine fabrics, and it was clean. Hell, he was clean looking. 

Finally, after a few moments and the shake of his head, the guard stood straighter and resheathed his sword. When that was set, he looked over at John fast before addressing this Lord. "You are on the Isle of Nordwood." 

Raen kept her place in the doorway of the mausoleum, praying the shadows kept her. The sound of Alucard's voice claiming he wasn't causing a distraction or anything had her sinking further into the shadows, even going so far as to step down a stair or two for that purpose. She could only pray it worked....though she wasn't sure why she was trusting Alucard to do this. She didn't know him! 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 26, 2010, 07:44:53 AM**

"Nordwood," Al said in a thoughtful tone and craned his head around looking at the place. "I did make it after all then. Nice place, not bad at all." It trailed of into a mutter and lifted his cross in one white gloved hand. Holding it to his mouth he chewed on it again not quite satisfied with his current menu. His eyes darted to each visible servant and guard, then even to some areas that didn't seem to have people at all, but beyond a wall or building, one was surely standing there. His lengthened canines were easily seen. "Where do you keep the blood?" He asked now scanning the grounds as well as the buildings. Snapping his head back to John and the guard, his hand reached out slowly and poked the guard with the end of his cross. "Other than in those decent bodies of yours. A well fed lot you are. Clean... well kept. Lots of training I take it? Anyone I can pick a good fight with? I'm terribly lacking in my usual opponents. I could use a good sparring." 

John rubbed his head, glad to have the pounding gone. "I can lead you to the cellar, m'Lord." John said before he realized what he'd offered. Gods, he must have been bespelled. "Or the parlor," he corrected, "that you might find the refreshment you need, as you await the Lady of the Manor." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **TrulyUnknown** on **October 26, 2010, 07:45:37 AM**

It shouldn't have, but it surprised the guard to hear that this man had been intending to come to the Isle...and didn't know he'd arrived to the right place? Something was off about that, but it wasn't questioned either. Instead, it was the cross that caught his attention, and the fact that he was asking for blood...and had vampire fangs. The questions that came kept the guard from asking any of his own really. Before an answer could be given, John was on it, which left the guard only to nod. "I think that's a good idea, John. To the parlor." With a glance still cast upon Alucard, he figured he'd ask what John hadn't thought to. "M'Lord, I don't suppose you've seen a young woman wandering the grounds?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 26, 2010, 07:52:53 AM**

"Lady of the Manor! Ooo," Al's eyes brightened behind his glasses. As hungry as he was getting even with the tasty little tidbits he'd been getting, Al couldn't remember who owned this place. The direct question to him was given more attention just because it was more fun and he liked surprises. "Lets see..." Lifting his glasses firmly in place he looked through them and he proceeded to point in numerous directions leaving out the mausoleum. "There is a fine young lass there, ooo and over there is a nicely built one. Ah, that one seems a bit on the burlesque side, if you like that sort of thing... all hips and bust you know? Probably not as young as you want. Hmm, There's a lovely example. You didn't mention lovely though, just young. My, my the place is just crawling with tempting young things, isn't it?" 

John ran a hand over his face in an aghast response, whether it was to the guards question or how it was answered he wasn't sure. He was just appalled. "M'Lord! We were looking for our Lady's young ward. A girl with blue hair, very hard to miss," looking up at Al and the smug grin on the man's face, he added, "much like yourself." He straitened out of propriety instead of an attempt to look more imposing. Such a feat would be impossible to accomplish next to this man. "Have you seen a young woman hiding that had blue hair?" 

Al looked sideways at John and his proper bearing even if he was a bit ratty in appearance compared with Al. "John is it? You don't get out of the Manor much do you, John? It takes years of practice to run through brush without gaining debris." Reaching out one long arm he swept the bit of tree leaves that clung to the man's jacket. "What bet did you loose too have to look for the Lady of the Manor's ward?" He slapped John on the back. Grinning his disturbing grin and knowing there was some truth in his answer, he said, "No, I have not see a girl hiding with blue hair." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 28, 2010, 09:10:59 AM**

There it was. The question was out, and she was going to be given up... Damn her curiosity, and damn her luck for running into Alucard at all! Yet quickly, Raen was made to wonder if some of her worry was misplaced. The answers that kept being given were rather...indirect or vague. Maybe he wasn't going to give her up after all? 

In the shadows behind the three, Raen had her breath held, wishing it remained that way... 

For all possible answers, the only thing the guard had thought he might hear was a simple yes or no. It was quickly apparent that no such answer would come from this Lord as what seemed like every young woman was being pointed out...somehow. Surely no one man can see all that! 

Thankfully, John corrected his wording of the question. It wasn't the guard's job to be asking anyway. If he saw the girl, he was to report the sighting and direction she went, but he wasn't to retrieve or ask of her. "But have you seen her, perhaps, then?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 28, 2010, 09:11:37 AM**

John would have gone after the girl he pointed out, really he would have. The grip on his shoulder was a vise and he could swear his feet moved away on their own. He surely didn't say 'walk this way'. "This way, m'Lord Alucard." Trying to change his course of direction to the main back door instead of the servants entrance he walked towards was successful. It must have been his imagination. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 28, 2010, 09:11:57 AM**

To hear that another person was pointed out made Raen's held breath be slowly released. He wasn't going to tell. And maybe he really didn't know where she'd gone...not that she'd gone far. Still, she'd need to wait at least a few more moments before she could begin to follow. She needed to be certain the guard wasn't going to turn around and see her, and make sure that John and Alucard were a good few paces ahead of her to avoid detection that way, too. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 28, 2010, 09:12:29 AM**

He ducked his head further under his hat, making most of his face hidden between the high collar, his glasses and the brim. Partly, it was to hide the intent smile on his face. Partly, it was that he'd maneuvered through those questions without having to flat out lie, always a nice challenge. Mostly, it was because even if he hadn't 'seen' the girl hiding, he'd felt her movements. When John spoke, he released the control of the blood flowing under his hand and let John walk on his own. It was not impossible to move the blood in another, making the limbs move, with the close contact he had. Difficult without a saved sample of blood in his body, no doubt, but Al always loved a good challenge. "So who is this blue haired ward you and your Lady of the Manor keep looking for?" 

"She is Lady Raen. Countess Keshadei brought her home and took her in as her ward." He left out the less than favorable nicknames like 'strange pet', but he did expand a little on the girl herself. "The Countess has been teaching her to be a proper lady, as the girl should be seeing how obvious it was that she isn't a servant." He referred to the girls soft hands and lack of knowledge. "It is a mystery to me why someone of her age is so unaccustomed to..." Perhaps that was a bit forward of him though, he though and covered a cough at his forwardness. "Forgive me m'Lord I speak out of turn. If you happen to see the girl, would you please give a shout?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 28, 2010, 09:12:48 AM**

Raen was still close enough behind to hear the discussion. She wasn't sure how much she liked what John was saying...but to say anything would be to give herself away. It wasn't what she wanted to do. And anyway, she'd sworn not to tell anything about herself to anyone. That included the servants.. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 28, 2010, 09:13:24 AM**

"John!" Al shouted when he caught sight of Raen sneaking behind them. But he pointed to the servants entrance instead of the girl. "Why aren't we going in that door?" 

He jumped nearly out of his skin when Alucard shouted. Of course, he looked at the end of the man's pointing finger like a fool before the door he pointed to. "Ah, m'Lord I wish you wouldn't be so carried away by such a lowly sight. Ti's only the servants entrance." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 28, 2010, 09:14:21 AM**

When Alucard shouted, Raen halted immediately in her following them, frozen in place by the idea that he might actually be giving her away now... When she saw where Alucard pointed, there was a quick sigh of relief. 


	4. Chapter 4

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 28, 2010, 09:14:52 AM**

"Aha, my apologies." he said softly as he followed John through the door. It was his sort of door: big, wooden and studded with metal reinforcements. It was just like the rest of the manor. Just enough elaborateness so you knew you weren't in a lesser dwelling but not lacking in some fortification. " Mmm," he said approvingly as he looked this way and that. "Well tended indeed. Your Countess does now how to keep her home reinforced well. IS That..." Al shouted again when he saw Raen sneaking through the door. He pointed to the room farther up the hall and leaned down next to John's ear to slowly finish his question. "The parlor?"

"Ye... Yes M'Lord," John said resisting the urge to cover his hear lest the man shout directly into it. His pace quickened and with some relief, he made it to the room before the man yelled again. "If you would wait here until the Countess can see you... If I may get you anything m'l..." 

"Blood!" Al interrupted. "Fresh, a bottle worth would suffice." he lifted his hands and held them about a foot apart. "And a big glass." 

John pondered the wisdom of leaving the lord there by himself. Holding in a sigh, he bowed and said, "As you wish." He left with much haste in his steps, overly glad to finally get out from under the man's pounding hand and yelling. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 28, 2010, 09:15:15 AM**

Once Alucard and John had begun to walk again, Raen took up following, too. She was slower, maybe a little more cautious this time since Alucard seemed hell bent all of a sudden on shouting at random times. She snuck in behind for all she could manage, ducking into spots along the walls and wherever was readily available, waiting until John had finally left Alucard alone at last in the parlor. She slipped in there soon enough and stood off to the side from the doorway, arms crossing over her chest. "You didn't tell them. Why?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 28, 2010, 09:16:04 AM**

Al had flopped down to sprawl over a settee, dangling both arms and legs to the floor. It was an ultimately lazy pose with his hat covering his face and the arm of the furniture holding up his head. He finally went quiet, listening for the heartbeats around him instead of investigating every inch of the room. For some reason he believe he had plenty of time to investigate at his leisure later. For now he'd focus on the heartbeats, sorting them out and narrowing them down to the people he'd met so far. John's was easy since it still beat quickly and nervously. The Guard, whatever his name was, beat fast as well but he assumed that was from finding the hiding girl wasn't the right one. Or maybe he decided to hide with the girl. A small chuckle eased out of him as he sank deeper into the relaxing beats. Raen... not there was one he'd kept a bead on the whole time. He didn't bother moving when she entered and since he didn't 'see' her he felt no desire to shout. "Why should I?" he answered. "I find it a much greater challenge to continue the ruse. Tattling isn't nearly as interesting." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 28, 2010, 09:16:31 AM**

The answer he gave wasn't at all what she expected...but then, nothing he'd done was what she would have expected. There was a little shrug offered as if the answer sufficed. "So you're going to just play with them and enjoy it." It wasn't a question. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 28, 2010, 09:17:24 AM**

"It is one of my best qualities. Isn't that what you're doing?" The heartbeats shifted and Al rolled off the settee, bonelessly limp in his movements but on his feet in seconds. He walked strait to the open door and leaned out to shout, "John!" Well he did catch a glimpse of the girl... "There you are." He smiled his falsest of smiles when the servant hurried around the corner. "Aha, I can smell it from here." 

"Ye.. Yes M'Lord." On a tray, he held a bottle and an empty crystal glass. He quickened his pace to reach the waiting lord but stopped when he didn't step aside. "M'Lord, I ah..." 

Al snatched the bottle and glass from the tray. "No need, I have it." He turned his back to John and stood in the door pouring out a serving. His voice was quiet again and the order was clear if not polite. "Leave me. I can manage waiting on my own."

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 28, 2010, 09:38:02 AM**

She grimaced when Alucard shouted for John. For all she knew, John would come into the parlor and see her... Damn! But then...Alucard hadn't yet given her away. Why would he do it now? To remain unpredictable probably, but it just didn't feel like it was his intention... 

When she heard John's footsteps, and could smell him, Raen stepped back, almost like trying to squeeze into a corner. She was silent, waiting and listening. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 28, 2010, 09:39:14 AM**

The lord was overly friendly one moment and standoffish in the next. "Yes, m'Lord. Very good, m'Lord." John answered with a excellent bow. Turning, he realized he hadn't told the Countess of her visitor first. It was a slight to the Countess not to have gone strait to her then seen to the comfort of the visiting Lord. He rushed off to find her thinking the whole time, I must be bespelled. 

Once John was out of earshot, Al let out a sigh of frustration. "I hate waiting." He lifted the goblet and swirled the blood against the sides watching with a critical eye. It was a mixed blood, but far from unsightly. One step brought him back into the room and his foot pushed the door closed. The glass was held out towards Raen as he lifted the bottle up to his lips for a taste. "Its not bad. John has excellent insight. Not the best stuff in case I was some wandering wastrel and good enough not to offend me were I royalty." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **November 03, 2010, 09:14:36 AM**

"John!!".... the shout had been sent through the hallways of her home, startling her when she first heard it. It wasn't a voice she recognized, which was all the more odd. Why would a stranger have so much ease as to yell at her servants? She frowns in a mild irritation and lifts her skirts as she picks up her pace to head towards the stairs. Rounding the corner to start down, she was met with the man in question; John, though he was more shaken up than she was accustomed to seeing him. She didn't say a word but looked down at the empty tray which he was carrying with him. With a slight glare at him for not having come to her first, she moves past him with tense movements. 

A slight hiss of annoyance is heard from her lips, still baffled at the shout. Rounding the bottom of the stairs, her shoes loudly click on the floor of the manor as she walked to the doorway she knew John would have put a sudden guest. She assumed the guest knew she would eventually be coming to the room, so trying to be silent would be pointless. besides, she was annoyed enough that she frankly didn't care about being covert in her arrival. She pushes open the door, not bothering to knock... it is HER home, after all.. and steps into the room with a graceful yet obviously angry stride, "I would like to ask whom it is that has such leave as to be screaming at my servants within my own home.." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **November 16, 2010, 06:05:57 PM**

While Alucard busied himself with blocking John's path from the parlor, Raen kept to her makeshift hiding spot in a crowded corner. She was silent and still, wanting not to give herself away so soon. Imagine the shock if she were found still inside... 

Luckily, John was quickly turned away and, when he fully reentered the room, Alucard had closed the door. There was some sigh of relief as she regarded the strange lord. Of course, it was all paused as he held a glass out to her and drank from the bottle. Raen was still confused by the differences in customs between her time and this one. Here, youths can have a sip here or there with dinner, but it generally wasn't allowed. At home, it was plain illegal to offer any sort of "spiked" or alcoholic drink to anyone below the age of twenty one. 

Of course, Raen was fifteen. In this time, that was adulthood. 

Marrying age. 

Finally, with this thinking in mind, reached out and took the glass. She didn't raise it to her lips but held onto it. She looked down into the liquid, trying to figure if she really ought to at least take a sip or just put it down and let it slip from mind. If Alucard truly was a lord as he claimed, however, then to do the latter would be offensive; one did not simply ignore an offer from a lord. 

Slowly, the glass was lifted to her lips and tipped just enough for Raen to obtain a taste of the blood. When the glass was lowered, she nodded an agreement to his observation. Any other response was quickly lost at the sound of Keshadei's approach. There was no escaping or hiding now. Any attempt would be known... ...so Raen did the only thing she could think of. 

The glass was blood was set down on a side table resting near one of the chairs. Raen stood straight and with her arms crossing behind her back. 


	5. Chapter 5

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **November 17, 2010, 12:42:40 PM**

The door opened again and this time he didn't care to move. It sunk an inch into his back like a sponge. He still stopped it from swinging all the way open, but blood clung to the edge. The bottle's neck rested in his palm as the remainder of the bottle rested along his forearm. He peered over the frames of his red tinted glasses at the hand written label on the bottle. 

“I do." Al said as he turned towards the glass Raen had hastily put down. He picked it up as if it were his own and again watched how it clung to the glass as he swirled it. “Your John told me 'If you happen to see the girl, would you please give a shout?'" His eyes drifted close as he waved the opening of the goblet under his nose. “Yes... That is exactly it. I was being amiable and doing exactly what he asked." Lifting the glass to his smiling lips he added as an afterthought. “It's not my fault he didn't specify what to shout." When he finally opened his eyes, turned to face the lady and looked at Kesha there was a flash of surprise in his widening eyes. His arms lost their haughty pose and slipped to his sides limply. “Red," was all he said as he stared at her hair and nothing. The glass dangled from the tips of his fingers but never dropped even if it looked threateningly like it might. Before the color began to swirl in his eyes, Al snapped out of his shock and lifted his head enough for his glasses to hid his eyes from view. He set the glass aside and reached up to take his hat off. A sweeping bow that was exceedingly graceful for a man over 6 and a half feet tall was delivered to the Lady of the Manor. Back to her first question, he explained who dared to order her servant around. His entire explanation was given from his frozen bow. “Alucard, Lord of Sanguine, son of Lord Tame Uisce, grandson of High Constable Shallen Vate and Lady MeiHwa, former resident of MoonRae's... at your service." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **November 17, 2010, 03:11:50 PM**

She frowned when she door swung near her, no more pleased with the new mess than she is with whomever had shouted in her home. Her angry expression flew from the door to anyone present in the room. Almost immediately, it melts into shock as her eyes fell on Raen. It was the hair, of course. That blue hair drew the eye right to her light a moth to the flame. It wasn't long, however, before the anger returned to her eyes, especially as they fell on the man sauntering around the room and speaking to her as though she were slow & the answer was obvious. 

The look deepend as he admitted to having make the noise, causing a red tint to cover her lavender eyes. His arrogant manner certainly wasn't helping his cause any. She started to reply, but the sudden change in his expression made her stop short in confusion. She had a thought for a moment to even look behind her to see if her senses had failed her and something had come up on her she wasn't aware of. It was such a drastic change that she didn't quite remember what she was going to say as his arms dropped to his sides. Not to mention how baffling it was to her when the word "Red" left his lips followed by nothing at all. Keshadei walks further into the room when the man's behavior suddenly changed course. She was, of course, surprised that this man would say he was sired by people she knew. Mei had a grandson of this age? Hell... Tame had a son of this age?! Such realizations suddenly made her feel old, causing her form to stiffen in her anxiety. She had always been fond of Tame and his family, their history being something she was fond of hearing about. The wide variety of people in the family was sometimes hard to keep up with, however. Though Tame wasn't, for the most part.. she had a love of the Gaelic language, having come from a Gaelic background herself and Tame's name assured that he was easy for him to remember. As though it were little more than muscle memory, Keshadei's training she had been given since her childhood took over. Her arms sweep out from her sides as she sinks rather low to the floor in a graceful, if not uncomfortable looking, curtsy. Her skirts gather around her as she stays there for a moment, lowering her head politely, "It is a pleasure of course, Lord Alucard, I am sure." She frowns with her head still bowed, hiding the look.. Lord of Sanguine? but Tame was of water.. how did the man earn a title such as that? "Keshadei, Lady Nordwood and Viscountess at Her Majesty Rendhara's will." As she started to rise with as much grace as she had lowered, she continued to speak, "I am the proprietor of this island, and the school which was founded here. And surely, Sir, you don't expect me to believe your explanation of your shouting in my home." Her hands come before her to clasp together, "After all, John said nothing of Raen having returned home.." she shoots a look towards Raen, making it clear that she had questions before looking back, "And even had he not mentioned it to me, he surely would not have left such a lady alone in any closed room with a perfect stranger, Lord or otherwise. Not to mention its lack in politeness to shout indoors in such a manner.."

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **November 17, 2010, 04:41:18 PM**

He grinned at her disbelief. “I do not lie. Every time I saw her, I shouted ... something or another... at John. He just didn't catch on that I saw her. Don't be to hard on him, he didn't know she was here, or there," he pointed through the wall at the last place he'd seen her. “Or there... Or there." each time his hand shifted to point to another location until it trailed back towards the mausoleum. Finally he just shrugged. “I saw her many times." 

“As far as my politeness goes, I'm a bastard and tend to act accordingly." He lifted up his glass again trying to avoid looking directly at her and failing. All that red hair. His eye's seemed glued to it. Taking a few long drink from his glass, Al muttered in between gulps. “Red... bloody red hair." 

Taking a final gulp, he looked at his glass thoughtfully. “That's a nice change," he commented on the blood as a distraction while he poured more. “I grew weary of the blood at MoonRae's." Then most of the rest of her words clicked into place in his brain. “I'm on a island?" That could be both bad and good. Tame's element surrounding him but he wasn't too worried about his father finding him. “Not like he'll come looking." Isabeau, however, might. He frowned at his reflection in the glass. His daughter was a tenacious young thing with a stubborn streak a mile wide. It might take a little while for here to figure out he'd left, but it was for her own good. Mei could take care of her even if Tame was past caring about anyone... save his sister, Lili. Lili could probably find him but she was caught up in being a teenager. Glancing at Raen he realized they were about the same age. 

No,... They were all better off without his brooding ass around. The change of scenery would do him wonders. Again his eyes slipped to stare at the red hair. “I happen to be on sabbatical. What do you teach Red?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **November 17, 2010, 10:40:35 PM**

Raen tried to stand as still as a statue as soon as Keshadei entered the room. Of course Kesha would see her first. Her blue hair made her incredibly impossible to miss, even in crowded, people-filled rooms. An empty parlor such as this meant the time to spot her was immensely shorter. Even still, Raen didn't say anything. 

It was Alucard's explanation of why he was shouting that had her cringing. When Keshadei offered that she still wasn't sure of his reason for it, Raen sighed. "John didn't know I was anywhere nearby the whole time. I stayed out of his sight, and as many times as..." Raen glanced at Alucard in order to decide how to call him. He'd introduced himself as Alucard to her, but as a lord to both John and Keshadei. "...Lord Alucard tried to get his attention, John wasn't catching on." Raen lifted a shoulder into a shrug. "I think, though, that John expected a more clear message as to what the shout was for." Another shrug followed then. There would be more explaining to come, Raen knew, and not just about Alucard. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **November 18, 2010, 05:18:22 PM**

She rolls her eyes at his evasive reply, shaking her head as she quickly realizes that this was one discussion that she was not going to get the upper hand in easily. Besides, she had other things she wanted to know. As he pointed his hand in the various directions, her own head drops down into her hand a little facepalm at his strange way of both doing what someone asked while...not.. 

Keshadie had to force a grin away when he admitted to being a bastard but it was fairly easily done when she realized that his odd behavior towards the color red was because of her hair. Raising her hand up to touch gently to her curls with a bewildered look at him, she was almost tempted to find something to cover her head with. Closer to her nature, though was the urge to highlight it. Was she not a kindred, however, she would have instead wished for some sunlight to stand in which would make her hair shine, "Yes, you're on an island.. just a few miles off the coast of the mainland." 

Again his eyes went to her hair and she lifted her chin, feeling a bit unnerved about this feeling of being on display, "On sabbatical.. you're taking a vacation, then? What, did you drink MoonRae's tavern dry?" A small prod at his earlier comment but still polite enough that she wouldn't regret having said it to a guest, "And how did you come across my Raen, exactly? She doesn't generally hide in places where visitors can just happen across her. And why in the world would you allow yourself to be closed up in this room with her?" His question caused her some hesitation and she stopped for a moment to think.. almost anyone who knew magic learned at a young age that there were often times when it was better to keep ones abilities a secret for as long as possible and her instincts told her that this was one of those times, "I teach a variety of subjects, actually. Though that is hardly the topic of discussion right now." 

Now her gaze fell on Raen, who had started speaking herself and Keshadei gets a firmness in her tone, "You, young lady, should know better than to be here alone with him all evening. And why were you following him around, for gods sake? What's to say he wouldn't have killed you?" She steps towards Raen with that frustrated, angry motion that sometimes comes to parents when their children are late returning home, "You take far too many risks of late!" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **November 21, 2010, 03:13:17 PM**

“I was playing some cards with a pair of new dead friends when She found Me. If I remember right, heard me singing something familiar... Then came looking." he stroked his chin thoughtfully, before looking down at Kesha again. “I can assure you I wasn't following her." 

Wide eyes looked over the rims of his glasses and his hand closed tight on the neck of the bottle he had. There was a wild excitement in his voice as he remembered. 

“I did draw my weapon on her when I thought she might try to attack me, as some dhampirs are want to do when seeing me." His grin was less than flattering and in it was hint of insanity. The scent of blood grew thick and stifling in the room. It suddenly felt much smaller to Al and he realized he was on the brink. Quickly the grin and smell faded as he physically drew inward. His coat and hat shifted to cover most of his face. “I did not harm her. I warned her away from me." Al didn't mention feeding and purposefully left such knowledge out. At the time, he didn't know he was still in the same time nor did he know the girl was a Lady of Breeding's young ward. It wasn't that he wouldn't feed on the young. He fed on anything he cared to. He'd fed from his own little angels constantly and preferred them close so he could, but they were no longer his little angels. He had no one left to claim as his own and it was best that way. “Not that is was such a long trip here, but any travel can be taxing. I had not fed and had lost track of how long I'd been here." A small gap formed between his collar and his hat where his eyes peered at her. "Your defenses are pour. I walked right in and have been here all day without a soul coming to look for me save the brat." His head jerked to indicate Raen."And from your reaction, I am sure that was not intentional." The bottle in his hand was now empty even though he'd not lifted it go his lips again. "If there are those you do not wish me to feed on tell me now and I will leave them be." Al set the bottle next to his glass. "I came in out of curiosity and courtesy. I see now I am not pleasant company for genteel ladies at the moment. I must go." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **November 23, 2010, 02:59:56 PM**

She blinked at him in silence for some time. New dead friends? What did he mean by that? But surely she had heard him wrong. Or perhaps he referred to some vampires she wasn't aware of. It was a common practice of those outside the race to call her kind 'dead'. But new vampires? That wasn't very good news, "Dead friends? Now surely you jest..." She tilted her head at him, in hopes of getting further explanation from either him or Raen. 

Frowning as he admits to having drawn a weapon on Raen, Keshadei fights the urge to get angry and instead focuses on the present, "Why do dhampirs attack you? And why would Raen be any different?" Fading her voice away, she fell again to watching him. Honestly, she wasn't sure his mental sanity was completely intact. 

Again, her frown deepens, "..Poor defenses? Indeed, where were you hiding out? I guess in a location which would make no sense for a regular patrol to look." She crosses her arms over her chest indignantly, "As if you could do so much better by our defenses. We've never had any problems thus far." She regards him as he set the bottle down and was soon rolling her eyes. Men! Such children at times. 

Putting out a hand, she steps to move between him and the door, "Now, now.. there's no need of that. Raen obviously has been keeping you company for some reason, you could at least return the favor within her home. Besides, its quite rude to insult my defense system as you did then merely leave with no offer of suggestion." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **November 24, 2010, 10:01:04 PM**

Things were escalating a bit too quickly. For all she could tell, Alucard would continue to evade some questions, partially answer others, and disregard the rest fully. Which meant Keshadei would only demand more. And before Raen could get a word in otherwise, they'd both be at it again. 

Raen found herself sighing and shaking her head. Finally, speaking as though she was giving up hope that something clear could be made of this all, she looked firmly to Keshadei. "I found him in a mausoleum at the back of the property. The dead had been strangely...arranged." At that last, Raen did glance at Alucard. "The only reason I found him was I heard songs I knew." Before she could add more, she looked at the woman who was practically a mother to her now. "Songs from home," she finally added a tad softly, knowing that Keshadei would know what she meant. She was more than willing to risk, too, that the man could guess her meaning. It was the true explanation for _why_ Raen had found Alucard in the first place. As Alucard made as though he intended to leave, Raen wanted to step and block his path. She still hadn't gotten her own answers, though her questions weren't asked; she'd been hoping he'd let something slip. But to block his exit would be forward and improper. With Keshadei present, she could only guess at the trouble that would result. So, instead, Raen returned to her silence to allow Kesha to handle the matter...until Raen would need to speak again... 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **November 25, 2010, 01:27:49 AM**

"It was a disgraceful state of affairs in my new abode. No one had come to visit and give anyone fresh air in years, nay, perhaps decades. It was obvious no one cared about them," he said waving a hand irritated by being blocked in, "especially if no regular patrols visit there." Al suddenly leaned against the doorjamb, a hand to either side and faced Kesha. "If you give a rats ass about something you have it patrolled closely." The glasses were hiding his eyes again. "Enemies look for places that are not patrolled and use that as a way in. Facing your army out to watch is useless against anything that is already inside. This land is full of all sorts of beasties and not all of them walk up to you. Some burrow, some fly, some ..." Al pulled back a little and grinned saying, "have other means." 

He leaned a bit closer, smelling the blood in her and resisting just feeding on its presence. It triggered his own scent and the smell of fresh pure blood filled the room again more crisply than the last time. Shear torture it was. "Its rude to trap me here. Ruder still to do so without letting me feed." He tried to yanked himself back before he did something he would regret but he couldn't bring himself to pull away. "You asked of the tavern's cellar. I didn't not drink it dry. Nor did I drink the Queen's cellar dry. It was just all too familiar to me. I knew every last damn drop of blood in that place and grew tired of it all." 

Al practically purred as a rumble came out of him while he rubbed his cheek against the invisible aura around her. "I'm a little too confusing for most dhampirs, not to mention other vampires like yourself. They don't know whether to kill me or eat me. Your little dhampir seems a bit out of place if you ask me. Confused me, she did, and tried to trick me. I don't fall to trick so easily and played along. Not to hard when you know what she's talking about." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **December 02, 2010, 03:03:59 PM**

Blinking at Raen's comment, she glares at Al in shock, "A mausoleum?! You were holed up in the cemetery!?" She shakes her head, the red curls loosening slightly in her frustrated movements. Touching a hand to her temple, "And my security is lacking because they don't patrol..the dead? Oh of course.." Another shake of her head and she looks past Al towards Raen suddenly at the girl's mention of the music 'from home'. Keshadei suddenly straightens her posture, a paranoid suspicion coming over her born of an over protectiveness of Raen. Before she could speak, however, her shock stopped her words when he leaned in towards her in his own little trap. She cleared her throat in an effort to hide her shock. It was rare that anyone neared her, some scared of the vampire she is and others intimidated by her place in the Empire's court. Still glaring at him, she almost hisses her words "We have other means of security than the patrols, Sir. This is an island full of mages, after all." 

She stared, wide eyed when he leaned in even closer and she pulls herself back as best she can at the same time. Her nostrils flared as the scent reached her nose and a deep rooted hunger immediately flashed in her eyes. Almost as if one could see it happening, the polite well bred lady she was before she was turned started to fade, giving way at least temporarily to the vampire looking to tease and tempt her next meal. She lifts her chin slightly and stops trying to lean away from him, instead dipping her torso forward, "It's rude to invade a lady's lands." She lets her lips spread into a slight grin, "and I never said you couldn't feed while in my home." Her brow raises slightly at the comments of the drink on the mainland and she nods, letting her raised head tilt as though she were merely contemplative, "Looking for a new flavor, then, are you? We are a part of the Empire if you'll remember, what's to say we don't get the same stock they do?"

Her form visibly shivers when his cheek touched to her aura, the mage in her knowing exactly what he was doing. Keshadei laughs faintly and determines to do what she can to keep him steered away from the topic of Raen, that same fear for the girl flaring up. All the better if it got something for herself, as well. Leaning forward, she moves to dip her nose close to his neck and draws in a slow, deep breath then whispers against his skin, "Perhaps they should just eat you, then kill you and rid themselves of the confusion altogether."

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **December 04, 2010, 05:50:15 PM**

"Told you I was a bastard." he said to her comment at being rude. "I've been eaten before but they found me quite un-digestible, especially when I'm busting through their veins and arteries. Being killed isn't new to me either. I turn back up like a bad penny. I'm a little harder to get rid of than the average pest." He murmured looking for at her red hair now so much closer as he felt her breath on his neck. "I feed on a wider stock than most, and you and the brat are positively delectable." Her lack of specifying limits let him indulge in their blood. Rolling the sensation of such an unfamiliar blood available and close was satisfying. "I wouldn't bite me, Red." He warned even though he didn't move away. "I'm not sure of how I would react after my journey and I'd hate to make you do things in front of your ward that might embarrass you both." 

With his arms spread, his coat was open enough for Kesha to see inside from her close position. He seemed to realize it and pulled back, covering the weapons in his shoulder holsters. "Your little ward misses her home, that is why she was following me." 

"You are one of the undead, Lady, you should know the dead come back. If you've got a mage infestation on this island you should know the dangers of someone bringing them back. There is a whole army of dead back there if someone took the notion to raise it. Besides," He straitened a bit indignantly at her comment about the mausoleum. "I like it back there. Its quiet. Whatever mage protection you had against my arrival didn't work, now did it? If you had patrols back there you would have known I arrived as soon as you woke up." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **December 07, 2010, 05:45:01 PM**

"Even a bad penny has its value to someone." She was eyeing his neck, the urge to bite him anyway causing her eyes to shine with a bright red. She glances towards Raen over his shoulder at his mention of her and she chuckles, lifting her head away from him just in time to catch a glimpse of the weapons he was covering as he moved away, "What in the gods name are those?!" 

Stepping away to move to Raen, Keshadei sadly brushes an open hand over that long blue hair, "I know she misses her home. Anyone would after such a drastic change." She offers Raen a faint smile and turns again to Al, "I would send her back, if I could... for her sake. But I am not capable of it. Thankfully, she is adapting well." 

She rolls her eyes and puts a hand to her hip, "There is a potential army of dead anywhere, Sir. That doesn't warrant constant supervision of corpses. That is a waste of resources." Taking a few steps forward, a shoulder raises in a slight shrug, "I didn't imply mage protection against **you**. Only that we are not defenseless should the guard fail... besides, you seem hardly a threat presently." She leans to take up the bottle he had been drinking from and casually sniffs its contents, "You seem, actually, to be more of a mere nuisance." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **December 08, 2010, 06:55:13 AM**

"They are nothing to concern yourself with," Al muttered, tugging his coat tighter. A mocking smile did form though. "Hang around thousand years and you'll figure it out. A thousand or two years can pass easily enough for a vampire or dhampir. There's plenty to try and stop the both of you from seeing her home, but you can do it if you're careful." Watching how lovingly Kesha petted the girls head, he looked away and frowned. "I can't take her back." There was apology in his voice, not denial. 

"Relying on magic to solve your problems makes people lazy. One should be able to defend themselves without having to use magic. When you have trained well enough to defend yourself," Tilting his head back to look at the both with the growing insane look he had before. He finished with, "Then you play with your power and master it." He should know, he relied on his own elemental skills frequently and he knew he was lazy most of the time. It added to his boredom. This place was already taking that boredom away. There was much to see and do. 

First, he'd love to teach whomever lead her guard a thing or two about protection. Perhaps the lady needed a lesson too. Each new though of what he would do to take the guards down made his grin grow. He mapped out a few different plans of attack in his mind. "There should have been protection against me. I'm a bad seed." The edge of his brim was pulled down and held in place where only his smile was visible. "I could take out your entire guard in under an hour. From my guess just by looking at them, I wouldn't need an army to do it, And," he bragged confidently, "I could do it barehanded." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Keshadei** on **December 29, 2010, 11:19:37 PM**

She sneered slightly, lifting her chin, “I intend to 'hang around' for as long as I'm able to do so. Especially considering the time frame which Raen is from. Eventually things will need to be done to keep things from crossing themselves, I'm sure. Her look softens slightly at his apologetic tone and she again looks to Raen, touching a gentle hand to the girls shoulder, “She doesn't need to be sent back. Its obvious she belongs here. She was sent here for a reason and until that's found out, we'll make sure she's happy where she is. 

“Relying on magic is resourceful! Its what I have! I'm not adept with weapons and I won't simply sit around and watch others fight. I have the strength of a kindred but that's always enough. She stepped forward, insulted at the insinuation of being lazy and shook a finger at him, “Don't you have any manners at all in the household of nobility? You insult the man of the island and then insult my household? Surely one such as yourself knows better than to be so crude in your manner of speaking." 

Her eyes rolled at his boast, tossing a hand up into the hair, “Then do so! You arrogant man! It would get you out of my sight for the time being if not for good." She steps nearer to him then, that glimmer returning to her eyes, “If you were such a bad seed then anything you would have done would already have been done. So obviously you're not as bad as you wish me to think you are. I suspect you're hiding some sort of vulnerability under that arrogance of yours."


	6. Chapter 6

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **January 01, 2011, 09:47:35 AM**

The quip about some sort of vulnerability was pushed aside. His arrogance alone was one of his vulnerabilities. Those that eventually figured that out always seemed to be closest to him. Too many had become close to him at MoonRae's. Too many cared one way or another. It was to much for him to bare. "Manners? I told you I was a bastard. I'm full of insults." 

But he wasn't above some form of fairness. The point of this lesson wasn't to destroy any form of defense the manor had. If he did that, it would be a waste of resources. Even if those resources were weak, they were still useful and could potentially grown into something more powerful. Especially under his tutelage, those men could become something powerful. 

"I won't kill anyone or draw blood," Al said as he slowly pulled off his gloves. "One hour." With a smug smile, Alucard just vanished. 

He reappeared in the one place he'd become familiar with. Patting the edge of his coffin, he decided on plan A. It was another fairness he gave his opponents. Start a the beginning. This was their second chance to stop him and this time he would invade seriously. With heavy footsteps, he trod his way out from the depths of the vault. Al paused once outside the doors and rested his hand on the lock. Part of the blood he had consumed earlier was forced into the lock freezing the internal mechanisms and permanently locking the doors. 

The biggest worry he had about the pour defenses was how little the interior was protected. Even the Lady seemed so confident in her exterior defenses that she scoffed at an attack from within. He would have to prove to them all how important it was to have a well trained guard, inside and out. 

That meant he'd take out the men that were at rest first. Getting to them shouldn't be too hard if he strolled past the one guard he met already... strolled past with purpose of a man that should be there. It was already a flaw the guard had shown once and Al was sure he would do the same a second time. Walking towards the location of the barracks, Al nodded to the guard and tipped his hat. He'd come back for him quickly enough if the guard didn't investigate the silence he would create.

Al slipped into the building startling the one man standing at the door. The guard was lacking in any military skill. It was probably why he'd been placed on guard duty in the barracks where he could serve without being needed. The boy stuttered out nonsensical 'who' 'what' and where'd you come from' in a useless fashion. "Identify yourself" or some other challenge should have been issued. A sneer formed on Al's face and, in a blink, he had an arm wrapped around the boys throat. "Trainees should always be parred with a higher ranking soldier. How else will they learn anything?" His arm was like a steal band and quickly cut of the blood-flow as well as the oxygen to the boys brain. Al propped the boy up at his post making it look more like he fell asleep on duty. Most likely it was a familiar sight. 

Hearing movement, Al slipped into the shadows and slunk up upon his next victim. He barely paused as his hand stretched out and pressed into the side of the guards throat. Such was the fate of every man standing, sitting and sleeping in the barracks. Al gave a grunt at the ease of it and a sneer settled on his lips. Few had even stirred when he approached their beds and the few that awoke in time to see him had not one weapon close at hand. "I've never seen so many soldiers without weapons... Every bloody soul I've ever trained slept with one under their pillow." He tilted his head and held up a finger to make a point to himself. "Though I suppose they got use to me jumping them and testing them even in their sleep." 

He moved through the grounds, taking out men in the same fashion, sleeper holds and throat grabs until they passed out. Still not an alarm had been sounded. Each guard remained at their posts, silly set positions that didn't allow another guard to even tell if others had fallen asleep. His men in the MoonRae's army were always on rotating schedules and assignments. They never were set in one place for long. Standing in one place only made men tired and bored. Keeping them moving kept them awake and alert. Now was the time to relieve his own boredom. The battlements awaited his attention. 

There the men at least looked somewhat busy. They shifted back and forth between posts but still there was an air of relaxation. He saw wisps of smoke and heard the occasional laughter of men not paying attention to their duties. Now he left stealth behind and boldly strode up the steps to the battlements and his first victim there. 

Grabbing a hold on the man's neck, he squeezed and focused on stopping the blood-flow, but only long enough to knock the man out. The next man along the wall turned to attack. Al twisted and bent his body around the guard's downward strike. Avoiding the blade, Al slid in close with his maniacal laughter echoing along the wall. His arm came up and wrapped around the soldiers throat in a sleeper hold. The guards were all aware of him now and he'd already taken down half the men in his way. 

Slinging the body of his captured man towards the next attacker, Al flipped forward to land one-handed on the guard's throat to block the blood flow while his legs kicked out to catch another in the throat. Al's acrobatic momentum took the guards down to the ground, each passed out cold. But Al didn't stop. He continued along the wall to take down the perimeter guards without inner guards available to back them up. It was a combination of martial arts from many places that sent his body ducking, sliding and dodging in ways that were foreign to the time. His long body moved fluidly like water without loosing his chosen form. Al maintained his human shape and contained his power to shift between one point and the next, determined to beat these men by his will and skill alone. 

The scrape of wheels grinding as they turned caught Al's attention. What he saw as he continued to toss passed out men about drew a wide grin on his face. "At least you are utilizing your resources!" 

"Quickly! Move, move, move!" A young guard shouted as he strained with his companions against the wood they levered against the side of the canons housing, trying to turn it. Others loaded it and prepped it for firing. "Lord Alucard, Sir!" shouted the young guard again while still encouraging the others to fire. "Why are you attacking us, Sir!?" 

"What? You know him, Richard? Jesus! Get him to stop!" 

"No! don't stop; Fire, Just Fire!" 

They all ducked as the canon exploded. Richard covered the side of his head that the canon was on but had drawn his sword knowing he'd need it. Staring through the remaining smoke, the young guard squinted and tried to focus on the man he knew. The speed Al used to leap then kick the side of the cannonball was not new to Richard, but still amazing. Instead of hitting the man or one of the towers of the battlements, the cannonballs clipped the side only and flew off into the darkness. Perhaps it was a futile attempt to distract the blood king from his set path, but to do any less might have brought on his death; Richard had been trained to believe that. 

The why didn't really matter, he just had to defend from the attack. He was falling back on instinct that his own attacker had trained him to really on. The thud of bodies all around him put him on edge. When the dark shape loomed above him, he reacted. A cry of rage escaped his throat as he thrust up the sword in his hand making contact with something solid. A hand still clamped on his throat and lifted him up but he still held on to his blade, thrusting it hard and deep. When he opened his eyes, Richard stared into the eyes of his former commander. 

"Richard... it is you." Al said with a slight surprise. "Your still off in your thrust." He lowered the young guard to his feet without letting go of Richard's throat. "A man's heart is higher." Al lifted his free hand to flick a nail over the tip of the blade that stuck out just past his collarbone. 

"You don't have a heart, Sir." 

Al gave a low chuckle and slammed the guard back into the wall behind him. Leaning in, Al grasped Richard's hand that still held on tight to the hilt of the blade. A pull stole the hilt from Richard. He freed himself of the blade and pointed it at Richard's heart. "You're the last man standing then. Do you conceded?" 

"No." 

Laughter rolled out of Alucard, making his hand tighten sporadically on Richard's throat. "Good man. Where's your captain?" 

A scoffing huff of air escaped Richard, past the hand constricting his vocal cords. "The Captain was off duty... sleeping most likely. If you've reached here I assume you took him out already." 

"Useless! A captain is never off duty. I need a word with him when he wakes up. Point him out to me, will you. But wait... I'll wake one of these other fools to show me your captain. I have a new duty for you." He turned and looked for Keshadei and Raen, knowing there were somewhere nearby. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **AngelsDarkestSin** on **January 01, 2011, 08:28:41 PM**

~Syric sped toward Nordwood, one of his informants on the isle having told him of an intruder, an especially powerful one. The dark angel's brows were furrowed in thought as the isle rushed to meet him. He headed straight for the manor, not bothering to slow his speed on approach, and landed with a loud boom. He stood from a crouch, lifting a hand to dust off his shoulders. 

His eyes shifted about, looking for something unusual, until he heard the sound of a cannon from the battlements of the barracks. His eyes darted there, narrowing as he saw a blur of red movement. He smiled slightly to himself, tilting his head to either side until an audible pop was heard. His wings spread wide once more, hands reaching across his waist to draw his twin swords, before he flew to the barracks at breakneck speed. He arrived in time to hear Al's comment about Richard being the last man standing. He stayed in the air, grinning as he called down, "I wouldn't say 'last'..." Before dropping to the stones of the battlements. He realized Al wasn't wielding any weapons, so he sheathed his swords once more, untying his weapons belt as he willed his wings away. "Come... let's have a bit of fun..." 

Syric grinned, winking playfully at Al, before he sank into a Muay Thai stance, both knees bent slightly, his right foot forward. His body was turned just slightly so that his right side was closer to Al, his right hand at chest height, about a foot away from his chest, his left arm bent, his closed left hand staying near his jaw. He kept smiling at Al, until his right hand opened , beckoning Al forward.~


	7. Chapter 7

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **January 01, 2011, 10:04:27 PM**

The call distracted Al from looking for the ladies completely. Richard's captured sword was shoved handle first back onto the guard's hands. "Go guard the ladies. I trust you with their safety when I'm not there." For Al, it was high praise. Pushing the young guard out of the way, he faced his challenger. Al recognized the new defender. "Sir Syric. You can't be included in the count. The bet was the manor guard here, not a seasoned assassin. But far be it for me to deny a bit of fun." His eyes slid after Syric's hands as the angel disarmed. "Hand to hand! Spectacular." 

The stance was familiar enough. Al flipped the edge of his coat to the side, freeing his legs seemingly, but needlessly. His arm shot out along the length of Syric's arm, and twisting around much like a swordsman, trying to bind up his opponent blade. Al prefers to stay close to his opponents, keeping inside their reach but so close it became difficult to maneuver. His extreme high might look like a handicap to some but his ample flexibility broke down those notions. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **AngelsDarkestSin** on **January 01, 2011, 10:17:28 PM**

~Syric watched Al slide forward to slip his arm around his own, only to have Syric lift his right right elbow and jam it forward before Al could entrap his arm, both launching the elbow at Al's face as well as pinning Al's hand under his arm, while pivoting on his right foot, his left knee rising and coming around, aiming to slam into Al's midsection while he had the hand trapped. Al was quick, there was no doubt about that, but Syric was the fastest being in the kingdom, and his hand-to-hand skill was legendary. The only thing Syric was trying to anticipate was if Al would make his form more fluid than solid.~ 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **January 01, 2011, 10:53:48 PM**

Al dropped down under the approaching elbow, dropping further still to slide under the lifting knee in a bizarre gravity free limbo. His momentum hadn't taken him far enough to tug his captured hand free, but he twisted the joint inhumanly. Instead, Al levered his body by his other arm and shoulder to send his leg up in a scissor kick towards Syric's shoulder blade that held his hand. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **AngelsDarkestSin** on **January 01, 2011, 11:49:41 PM**

Syric loosed his hold on Al's hand as he rolled forward, thrusting both feet backward into Al's stomach to give himself more momentum. He would stand back up, turning after the roll. He grinned, before sinking into a completely different stance, his left foot slipping forward slightly, standing on the balls of his feet, his right arm out, palm facing toward Al, his left hand open as well, the palm sliding along his arm until it stopped just before his wrist. If Al recognized it, he would see a stance typical of Wing Chun. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **January 02, 2011, 10:38:14 AM**

The kick caught him in the stomach to push him over. Both arms shift to push himself up as his legs drop into a ponte, bridging his back with his stomach up. His legs sprung back off the ground, into a twist of windmilling legs, aimed at Syric's head. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **AngelsDarkestSin** on **January 02, 2011, 11:28:34 AM**

He was surprised Al didn't respond to his change of style, smiling slightly. As Al's kick approached, Syric stepped forward into it, as his right arm reached across his body and caught Al's leg at the shin to stop the kick, his left hand clenching into a fist and lashing out with explosive force once more at Al's midsection, the short range making it seem like a one-inch punch 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **January 02, 2011, 10:25:03 PM**

Al used the force of Syric's hand stopping his leg to change directions. The moment of impact helped carry his momentum around, twisting his torso with his free left leg and hips. It wasn't enough to avoid the short and powerful punch Syric gave him, but it was enough to change where it hit. Al's side took the damage without slowing him down. His left leg planted down firmly. The speed he'd gathered pulled the shin free of Syric's hand. Al continued around to Syric's side with the right leg swinging up towards Syric's face as his torso swung down with his left hip as a pivot. Al didn't put his main force into the kick. Instead, he reached his left hand out to capturing Syric's foot while aiming his right elbow into the back of his opponent's knee. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **AngelsDarkestSin** on **January 03, 2011, 12:02:21 AM**

Syric was grinning as Al changed direction using his hand as leverage, almost laughing out of sheer enjoyment. Syric's right hand opened as Al changed direction, letting him pull his leg back without resistance. As Al's kick came toward his head, he simply leaned back at the waist, letting the kick pass by harmlessly, while the foot Al was seeking to entrap lashed straight out at Al's chest, aiming his heel, rather than the toe as one might expect, at his sternum, or rather where it would be if Al had such bone structure. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **January 03, 2011, 07:33:33 AM**

When Al missed Syric's foot and felt the knee escape his hit, Al planted his hand on the ground where the foot had been and cartwheeled over the kick aimed at his chest. His right foot touched down first and grounded Al's tumbling body firmly. His left leg kept moving. Al crouched down and swept at Syric's support leg. As soon as the leg swept 180, it stopped behind Al's hip and he pressed up from his legs, aiming a one two punch into Syric's chest. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **AngelsDarkestSin** on **January 03, 2011, 07:22:16 PM**

Syric kept grinning, actually laughing now, as his foot that had made the kick and missed came back down and to the side, righting his upper body, and letting the bottom of his foot catch Al's sweep kick and stop it cold. His hands sweeping across his chest to intercept the punches, his right hand slapping away Al's left hand, his left doing the same to Al's right hand. As he knocked away Al's left hand, his right struck out at Al's chest from under his left arm, an open palm striking out at Al's sternum. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **January 05, 2011, 02:27:34 PM**

One minute, Al was standing there and talking to Kesha. The next, he was gone from sight with a promise to be done with the guard in all of an hour. One hour. That had Raen thinking as quickly as she could, trying to imagine in part how he thought to accomplish it and trying to think how best to follow. There wasn't a full decision made before Raen was turning and running from the parlor. She knew Kesha would likely attempt to stop her, but Raen didn't care right then. 

Once outside the parlor, Raen made an immediate move for the front door. For sure, she knew he was outside. That had to be where she was going to look.. 

It was a good amount of that hour later that Raen came to the battlements. She wasn't standing on them, mind, but she was able to make out Al's silhouette. There was another, too, that she didn't recognize...and they were fighting! Raen wasn't sure she understood. The stranger wasn't part of the guard...so why was Al fighting him? After watching another couple of minutes, Raen shouted, "Enough!" Even as her shout finished, she was rushing toward the nearby stairs that would lead her to the top of the battlements. "Haven't you already proven your point? You took out the guard! You don't need to continue!" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **January 18, 2011, 02:12:04 PM**

Richard had thankfully taken back his sword and made a hasty exit down the nearest stone steps when Al dismissed him. He must be on only guard left awake. It was exactly the same as the first time he had met Al at MoonRae's. The only difference was he'd been knocked out cold like the men on the ground. Any training the current captain of the manor guard had instructed was quickly replaced with those Alucard had drilled into his brain during the war. Richard had orders and he wasn't about to disobey them. It wasn't very long before he spotted Raen. Quickly, he followed the girl about. He settled beside her when she spotted Alucard. “Lady Raen!" Richard shouted when she made a break for the stairs, slipping in front of her with a quick maneuver. “Stop! You know your not allowed on the battlements. Your not suppose to interfere with our watch." 

Al's attention turned toward Raen's shout of 'enough!'. His movements paused, hands frozen in motion; but not before turning on instinctual defense. He straitened and turned into a liquid without loosing his shape. Syric's palm struck with a wet splash when it hit. The surface took in the hand and held tight again as Al solidified. “Sir Syric doesn't count." He shouted back. “He's just a bonus bit of fun." Al said petulantly, torn between carrying on with the fight and completing what he set out to do. Raen's continued complaints about proving his point brought a groaning sigh out and Al slumped sideways on the end of Syric's arm. Duty won out over fun in the end. 

“Alright! Alright Brat!" Al bellowed as he turned from Syric. Pulling himself away, he let the imbedded hand slide out of his body with a sickly-wet, sucking noise. “They have been asleep on the job long enough." He knew the point when reduced blood flow would cause damage as well as the point when it would cause unconsciousness. He knew the way to keep a man's blood flow shallow and keep them asleep. Now that he had a feel for every last one of the manor's soldiers, he could jolt them awake at any time. Al stomped his right foot twice followed by a quick stamp of his left. The hollow heartbeat rhythm reverberated through everything on the manor grounds. Every heartbeat he'd slowed, jumped awake and roused the guards from the sleep Al had induced. “UP! You lazy bums," Al yelled. A smile lifted one side of his lips as he felt them all stir. They were his now, whether they wanted it or not. 

“It won't be long before I get them into shape." Al commented to Syric. “Their captain can't be one of yours... There wouldn't be such chaos if he'd been one of yours. Order... Discipline... a little hard work ... That's all they need. Men are men after all. They strive to conquer even if its just the current order laid like a challenge before them." Men groggily stirred around them, drawing their swords but reluctant to attack the man in red that stood so calmly beside Sir Syric. Al narrowed his eyes and focused fully on Syric. "Not that I'm against any chance I get at a match with you, Syric, but why are you here?" 

Reasons, unwanted and irritating, flitted through his thoughts. He had left purposefully. The crazed look again entered his eyes making Al look almost panicked. "If you came here to take me back, you can forget it. I'm not going to that damn funeral."


	8. Chapter 8

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **AngelsDarkestSin** on **January 24, 2011, 01:46:47 PM**

~Syric had heard the shout of "Stop" just a split second too late to stop his palm thrust, though Al's turning to liquid rectified that. He grimaced in mock disgust as his hand sunk into Al's body, "Ugh... did you have to do that?" When Al pulled himself free, he shook off his hand, taking a moment to sniff at it, rolling his eyes and muttering, "That smell won't come out for a week..." 

He leaned down and picked up his discarded weapons belt, buckling it back around his waist, as Al commented to him. "Aye.. I can see that. I'm sure your exercise gave them the rude awakening they needed." 

He simply shrugged as to why he was here, "No, I have no intentions of taking you back. I do not take the liberties of others unless they take from others themselves, you know that." He smiled slightly, before continuing, "I was merely informed there was an intruder on Nordwood and responded. I had no idea it was you until I saw you. As far as I'm concerned, you may go wherever you please, as long as whomever owns where you wish to go approves." 

He finally turned his attention to the blue-haired young lady. "I do not believe we've met, my dear. I am Syric Stargazer, one of the captains of the guard at the castle proper. A pleasure to meet you." He bowed slightly at the waist, unsure of her rank, so he simply gave the informal bow he usually did. For one claiming to be against formality, he seemed to know most of the minutiae of interacting with royalty and nobility.~ 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **February 08, 2011, 10:04:18 PM**

After Alucard had left, Keshadei had inwardly groaned to herself. She really didn't have much doubt as to Al's abilities to take out her guard. In all honest, she knew it would be an easy task. Because they had the academy, the higher ups in the arm of the Empire tended to assume they had adequate protection in the form of magic. That being the case, and despite the islands importance as a strategic location off the mainland, the guard mostly consisted of greenhorn men that hadn't really seen much in the way of battle. Some of them were even still in training. She turned to say something to Raen but was shocked silent when the girl ran past her to go outside. Her thought was to stop the girl but before she could even say anything,

Raen was out the door and headed out. So she decided to find out for herself what would happen.. without interfering, unless necessary. 

After Raen had been gone a few minutes, Keshadei leisurely went to her homes kitchen to pour herself a drink. The staff that was currently present were horrified at her serving herself but despite her seeming lack of care, she didn't have the time to be waited on. When she had slowly finished a full glass, again without rushing, Kesh moved to the nearest window and opened it, cocking her head slightly to listen to the noises from outside. There. She could hear it now. The sounds of a scuffle. Listening for a time, before whispering "Battlements" to herself, she turned and headed that direction. 

Indeed she had been nearby during the entire fight. Arriving about the time Al was discussing Richard's captain with him, she had positioned herself out of the way atop the closest tower to the little fight scene. Syric's arrival amused her greatly. She knew Al wouldn't kill him & she could just as well stop Syric from her perch should the tables happen to turn in his favor. That being the case, the woman settled in, leaning on the wall to watch what promised to be a very good fight. 

Raen's voice brought her back to attention and she raises from her leaning stance to spy Raen just as she was darting for the stairs. A faint pout tugged at her lips at the threat to her entertainment but a moment's reflection had her sighing in resignation & she turns to head for the bottom of the tower towards the level Al & Syric were fighting on. At the sound of Al's comments through the archers windows in the tower, Keshadei was laughing when she emerged from the tower, clapping her hands, "Well that was indeed much fun!" She nudged with her foot at a guard who was still trying to rise, pushing him back down and out of her way. As she smiled at Syric, her head lowered in a polite greeting, "It is very good of you to respond in such a manner. You do have my gratitude for it, even if it were a false alarm." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **February 09, 2011, 05:49:55 PM**

Everyone in the barracks woke up at once. The thumping still reverberated around them but most were oblivious to the fact. There was a soldier here or there that reached out and touched an object near them to confirm their suspicions, but most were dazed and confused. The few non-oblivious ones rushed to the captain. 

"Captain! We're under attack!" 

"I remember a man in red, captain. He was sweeping through the barracks and..." 

"I heard a canon fire but I think I was dreaming." 

"Gunpowder, captain! I can smell it." 

The rest seemed to pull out of their daze and chime in with things they saw or remember as well. Captain Heartswood rubbed the back if his head where he could swear he felt a lump as he barked orders. "Arm-up! Check your posts. Find him." 

~*~ 

"I've been here all day, Syric. Not once did I get a reasonable question to my presence here. Not even from the Ladies. Is it a habit they have of welcoming anyone? The canon-fire had draw sleepers from their beds. He could see faces looking out at the commotion. Others that were night dwellers peeked out of doors to see what the danger was as teachers tried to shoo them back inside believing the commotion was over. Seeing all the young, innocent and curious faces surprised Al. He was expecting old men with long beards and studious faces looking to cut themselves off from reality. Surely he looked a little old to be a student. “And I don't know about my actions getting approved. I didn't wait for permission. There was no way I was going to ask permission to leave." The clapping drew his attention and pulled him away from the familiar comfort by Syric to move towards Kesha. "Red!" Al called with a broad smile when she appeared. His eye's were again focused on her hair more than anything else. The clapping gave him a pleased look and he sucked in a breath of air making his chest swell with pride. But the smile soon faded into a frown. "Fun for me... You should not be happy that I won so easily. No alarm is truly false." His eyes drifted again to the little faces. The frown took a hard line as fiery yellow and orange swirled into the red of his eyes. Children needed proper protection to grow up and protect their protectors. Not enough protecting was going on in the manor. Al's head quickly dropped as he ground his bare teeth together. 

It was starting to piss him off. 

"Sir!" Richard called over to Alucard, "the captain, Sir." He hadn't forgotten Al's request even if he had been given other orders. Still he saw to keeping an eye on Raen while making his way towards Lady Keshadei. 

Al's eyes snapped to stare at the men streaming into the yard. He picked out the captain from the others by his uniform alone. The way the man kept to the center of his men annoyed him, even if it was sensible. Just as he had in the parlor, Al blinked out of sight reappearing right in front of Captain Heartswood, arm in motion to plant a punch dead center of the man's face.

Richard slipped beside Lady Keshadei and stood stiffly at attention for a moment. His mouth started to open for a shout of 'don't kill him, Sir', but it was more out if loyalty to the manor than the man. What would they be without the captain? He didn't feel up to the task of training them all, even if he was one of the most experienced. "Is he staying, M'lady?" Richard blurted out suddenly. The school is the last place he expected to see his former commander. A flush touched his cheeks as he kept going. "Begging your pardon, M'lady, but how in the hell did you get the blood king to come here? Was he sent here for punishment? Has he been put on babysitting duty for killing the wrong man or... something?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **AngelsDarkestSin** on **February 09, 2011, 11:44:58 PM**

~He smiled to Keshadei, nodding politely in return, though the voice that accompanied it was dripping with sarcasm. "Glad we could entertain you, Lady Keshadei." He grinned for a moment, before continuing, waving off her thanks. "I am a protector of all of Moon'Rae's realms, not merely the castle. I go where I am needed most. And I thought this was where I was needed." He shrugged, before turning his attention to Al, "And who said you won? Last I checked we were interrupted mid fight, so it's a tie." 

He watched Al turn toward the soldiers in the courtyard, and he frowned slightly. Al was definitely right, these men needed more training. When Al punched out the captain, he grimaced before yelling out. "Guards of Nordwood, stand down!" He stepped to the edge of the battlements, making sure everyone could see him. 

He could hear the hushed murmurs as it registered to them who he was. Most stood at attention immediately upon seeing him, the rest quickly following suit. He stepped off the battlements, landing lightly on the ground with the help of a strong flap of his wings before he touched the ground. He looked at the men for a moment, before motioning for Al to join him. He would address the men, and give them their new orders. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **March 17, 2011, 01:10:28 PM**

She watched the goings on with the same mild amusement. Though the punch to her Captain's face did make her slightly jump & tilt her head. Kesh didn't say anything when the young Richard was inching towards her but when he was bold enough to address her, she looked directly at him with a small smile, and a quick nod, "It does appear that he is staying here for at least awhile." She furrows her brow slightly and looks from Richard to Al for a moment before looking back to the younger man, "Blood King, is he?" She planted another warm smile on her features and steps closer to Richard with a lilt to her lips, "So you know this man, do you, dear? I'd like for you to tell me all you know of him.. to the last detail." 

Again her gaze glances up to watch Al berate the Captain, pleased that she had finally found a source for at least a small amount of information. Let Syric and Al deal with the men down below.. she had things to do. and Richard was her priority for now.


	9. Chapter 9

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **March 18, 2011, 05:10:21 AM**

When Captain Heartswood didn't get right back up again, Al dived down, mouth open like a cat in a fight, to grab his collar. He held the captain up at eye level, letting the man's legs dangle as his arm pulled back for another punch. The soldiers surrounding him had lifted their weapons to defend their captain but Syric's order stayed their hands; Not so Al's. The blood king did pause. He ground his teeth back and forth while hiding his face under the brim of his hat as he felt Syric's eyes watching. The motion to leave them made Al turn away from the soldiers, but his elbow came up and back into Heartswood's throat. The quick jab left the captain choking as Al moved close to Syric. 

"I won MY bet." Al insisted. Leaning down slightly he pointed a finger at Syric's chest. "You just happened to stumble by, late as usual, and accept a challenge." His tone was a bit nasty to match his mood. Denied then end of his fight with Syric, stopped from taking revenge on the captain, and still hungry, Al shouted, "I'm not one of your little toy soldiers to order around, you..." But then he realized he had followed Syric's silent order to join him. Al slammed his hands into his pockets and turned to face the men. "Jackass. Not fair using that angelic mojo on me."

Richard cleared his throat and spoke softly and quickly to Keshadei, more in hopes that Al would take less notice than to remain secretive. "Lord Alucard, my former commander during the last war, the Blood King, Lord of Sanguine... that's ... just a fancy word for blood. His father told me that." The wry smile was gone as quickly as it arrived. "Son of Lord Tame Uisce who was to marry Princess Hope," he crossed himself, "god return her to us." Richard had heard the announcement of her disappearance. "He is grandson of General Shallen Vate and the Royal Falconer, MeiHwa. I only know of the two grandparents." Richard said apologetically. "I have not met or seen the current Falconer, but the previous one treated M'lord with some contempt. His grandfather, well, the pair does not get along. There is some great rift between the two. I have seen them come to blows in the middle of a battlefield. M'lord's father..." That situation was hard to explain openly to a genteel lady. Richard cleared his throat. "It is not unheard of for a man in his situation not to know his own mother. As disparaging as his tone can get, he doesn't actually speak ill of his father and will lay low any man that does. Oh! and the rare times I've seen them together, M'lord actually looked ... happy." There was an unsure tone as he said, "He left his thrown in a eastern land, out of boredom he once told me. I say there are too many rumors for the kingdom and his rule to be completely untrue... and I believe him when he says he was bored. 

Sir brags, irritates, boasts and tells tall tales meant to make you wonder, but I have yet found anything complete untrue in his words. M'lord can control blood for god's sake! I've seen him drain an orc at 20 meters without lifting a finger. He doesn't eat or sleep. Well actually, he rarely sleeps, its just that he always seems to be awake so it catches you off guard of you see it. Sir only drinks blood. He can feed on a man's blood without leaving a mark. Hell, he can feed on a man without touching him. Humans seem to be his preference. While in the company of humans and innocents, he..." It was hard for Richard to put a word to things he'd seen in the elemental's eyes. "...enjoys their presence. 

He recently disbanded his an..." Al's eyes had fixed on him making him falter, "..gels." Barely finishing before Al's hand came up and pointed. 

"Quiet Richard." 

And that was that for the moment. His tongue wouldn't move. It was the oddest sensation. Richard lifted his shoulders in apology. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **AngelsDarkestSin** on **March 18, 2011, 06:58:07 PM**

~Syric chuckles as Al shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned over to murmur, "Mojo nothing... I just inspire people..." He grinned at him a moment, before looking back at the men assembled in the courtyard. He cleared his throat, scanning through the crowd before continuing. 

"Captain Heartswood, you are relieved of command until further notice. You and your officers will return to Castle Moon'Rae with me to receive more training. I find what happened here appalling and it should not have progressed as far as it did." He noticed several of the more decorated guards looking disappointed. "You shall return here after sufficient retraining, do not worry. I will bring several replacements in from the castle to train the rest of the guard in your absence." 

He paused for a moment, letting that sink in, before continuing. "Al and Richard will oversee the retraining. If they find something that needs improving... It WILL be improved. I will also return periodically to check in and to oversee training myself at times." He knew the last part of the new orders would be met with... hesitation, but he expected the best of those protecting the land, and he would get the best. "You are all dismissed. Captain Heartswood, gather your officers and your belongings. I will arrange for transportation. That is all." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **March 23, 2011, 04:54:07 PM**

OOC: Okay, so major apology for my disappearance. I'd been meaning to post, had an idea and everything, then some post jumped in (can't even remember which at this point) that threw me off. So yeah, after a couple months of writer's block, I'm giving it a go. 

BIC: 

Raen had been continuing her path toward the battlement stairs when Richard stepped into her path with some form of a command (for him) that was meant to remind her to keep away when the guard was at watch. There was no noticeable glance thrown about when Raen ridiculed him by commenting, "There's no watch being kept when the guard is all unconscious and lying about. Now move." The young woman really did hate to be forceful, but she disliked someone stepping into her path either. For once, she wanted to control her own movements and not have someone or some rule of etiquette command her.

Despite her words, Raen found her attention turning momentarily toward the...angel. Not quite sure what to make of the strangeness of this, she regarded the introduction with some interest. Of course, when it was proper that she introduce herself, Raen was unsure. She wasn't too keen on MoonRae's itself just yet. While Nordwood was part of the empire, it wasn't the place where she'd discovered she'd likely not be returning to her home. "Raen," was all she offered as a name. Richard had already shouted her...title. If an orphan from another time could host such a title. 

And amongst it all, the angel was quickly forgotten as Raen turned her attention again, this time redirecting it toward the man called Alucard. He was a curious one. Even while he and the angel, Syric, spoke, she kept an eye on him. She might have even moved closer if she could have done so without notice. But then, if she'd done it, she would've missed hearing Richard speak with Keshadei. That was far more interesting and caused a figure twitch in her ear that had her paying more mind. She had to know what could be known about this curious man...or being. 

Suddenly, it were as if Richard could no longer speak. It was a curious thing, and Raen was again casting her gaze toward the man. Blood element. Odd but definitely intriguing. After a moment and Syric's announcement, the young woman folded her arms over her chest and scoffed. "So he comes, takes down the guard and then gains command of them." Her head shook from side to side. If only it made sense. Raen turned and descended down the one stair or two she'd managed to climb up before and began to walk back toward the manor. She'd already lost her portion of the evening to wander about freely. Perhaps she could find something to do at the manor. Surely she could find someone interesting there to speak to. Of course, it was all an act, a chance to feign disinterest and see what reaction she might gain from it. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **April 08, 2011, 01:24:14 PM**

Her arms were crossed as she listened intently to Richard as the young man quickly rattled off what he knew about Al. She nodded a few times, to show she was listening and to encourage him to continue and tried to keep her face calm & passive so she didn't make him more nervous than he seemed to already be with the arrival of Alucard. A few times, she blinked in surprise at him and would glance down to where Al was standing with Syric. Tame's child? This sarcastic and infuriating man was an offspring of Tame? As was politely expected as a member of the empire, when the Princess's name was mentioned, she almost whispered a soft prayer in hopes of the safekeeping of the girls soul. Continuing to listen, she tilts her head when Richard falters, “Angels? What angels?" 

When Richard didn't continue and simply shrugged at her, she gave an outraged sound and gestured down towards Al with a hand to call out, yet only mildly in any true anger “Bastard! These are MY people, not yours. How dare you stop one of mine from answering what I've asked of him.. especially about some stranger who waltzes in trying to take over the guard!" Her arms crossed again, her tone turning sarcastic, “Now who is causing a breech in security." Falling silent to overhear Syric's orders she 'hmphs' softly and looks at Richard, “Its certainly a good day for people coming to my home and ordering my people about, isn't it!" She offered a slight grin then, since he apparently couldn't reply anyway, “Looks like you got a promotion out of it, though, eh?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **April 15, 2011, 01:29:34 PM**

Calling out loudly, Al still boasted. "I didn't Try to take them over, I defeated them." Al's eyes slid over to stare at Kesha. "Richard was mine long before he was yours. I'm proud that he was the last man standing. Shows he paid attention when I retrained him." The movement of little faces being shooed inside distracted him to shift his gaze. A playful half smile lifted the corner of his lips as a few dodged their teacher. Humans were such willful creatures, no matter what they turn into later. Richard knew he would be reprimanded for talking about him that way but he still did it. "Besides, he told you of me and I did not stop him. It was when he spoke of others that I stopped him." When one student was caught and struggled to be freed, Al's smile dropped. No matter how you hold on and protect others, Al thought, they struggled to be free. That need for freedom seemed to be equal or greater to their will. Aka, Isa, Thera and Rogue all had spades of both. He had to let them all go... and now he was in the middle of a banquet of innocents. What the hell was he thinking. "I need no one reminding me." 

Syric's speech distracted him from the dangerous route his thoughts were taking. The demotion gave Al a chuckle even though he would rather beat the commander down. He knew well that a blow such as Syric's hurt longer than a blow of his own. A man's pride had the worst sting. 

When Syric announced he and Richard were now in charge, Al lost his concentration on holding Richard's tongue. "What was that?" 

"The hell you say!" Captian Heattswood yelled through his damaged throat. His officers quickly moved to join him when Al punched him, but they tried to convince him to follow Syric's orders. 

Richard's mouth dropped open and he said, "me?" To lady Keshadei's congratulations, he muttered a soft "god help me" as he lifted a hand and rubbed his brow. 

A crazed grin twisted his smile when he heard Richard's mutter. "I'm not a god, even if those before me played them. Me and Richard, eh?" Al said rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he looked over the nervous men. "We could whip them into shape if I was permitted to train them my way." He glanced towards Syric. "My way is definitely not your way." Al hooked a thumb over his shoulder to point at Keshadei. "Its definitely not her way either." 

"Bastard son of a bastard!" The captain shouted hoarsely, and thinking he only worsened Lady Keshadei's own sentiment. "You're not taking my men!" The other officers were having a hard time pulling Captain Heartswood out of the courtyard. He struggled against his men, pointing towards Al. "I'll not leave my men in the hands of some puffed up popinjay, with more power in his hands then good sense." 

"Power is not a problem, little man, and I believe I'm showing quite a bit of 'good sense' for not killing you on the spot after calling my father a bastard," he bit out in clipped tones. But the captain's complaints reminded Al again that he was slipping on good sense. What did they know? Syric and Richard were probably the only two on the island than even had the slightest clue to his own problems. Those problems seems to be in control when he had the war to distract him. Keeping a band of grown men alive and uninjured in the midst of chaos had been what he needed. The war was lacking in innocence. Here he would have to work to protect it again. A challenging thing to be sure and Al loved a good challenge, but what if he failed? He didn't think his mental state would hold up to loosing another. His eyes drifted to follow Raen walking off and wanted to follow that kindred lost soul. Oh how he'd like to go hide like she was doing. 

Al lost all expression on his face and became still as a statue. His head was angled just so, where no one could see his eyes behind the glaring, red lenses that caught the firelight. If he let himself stay in this place, he would be throwing himself into a pit of temptation. He was fooling himself if he thought he wouldn't just fall back onto bad habits. "I can't stay here. Richard can train them." 

It was then that Richard realized Al was using his real name, not boy, lad, kid or some other nickname. It had taken him 3 years to realize Al did actually know the names of who he spoke to even though he wouldn't use their real names. The man simply refused to use them unless he had some modicum of respect for the person. When the war was over and their troop was presented before the king and queen for honors, Al had said Rendhara and Llandysul, quite respectfully instead of some sarcastic title. Al always called his father 'Tame'... to his face anyway. 

Perhaps he'd gained enough respect to convince Al to help him. Simple always seemed to be the best way to get Al's attention. No m'lord, Sire, or even Commander. "Sir," Richard said respectfully as he came up beside him. "A word?" 

Strangely, Al listened, following Richard off to the side to listen to his pleas. "I could truly use your experience in this matter, Sir. It is clear you do not approve of the previous command nor does Sir Syric, but it is all the Empire has provided this Manor. Even Syric has assumed the land was well protected until you proved the notion wrong." He knew he couldn't take the route of civic duty with Al since he knew the blood king didn't see himself as part of the imperial forces even when he lead them. "Why leave such challenge placed before you?"


	10. Chapter 10

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **April 21, 2011, 01:39:53 PM**

Rolling her eyes with a rather unladylike grunt at Al's reference to Richard being his first, Keshadei glared down at the ongoing proceedings below. Leaning on the edge of the wall to get a better look.. since she apparently wasnt going to get any good news from Richard presently.. she grinned at Syric's speech & the way he ordered the men about, "I swear, men always think they have a way of stepping on a woman's authority." 

When she heard Richard speak, she darted a look of surprise at him. Then that look melted into one of mischief, "I expect to see you later alone in my study. We have a conversation to ensue." The captains second shout brought her attention once again downwards. After Al at thumbed a finger at her, she was scowling yet again despite how amusing the Captains prideful outburst was. It was when Al declined suddenly that she straightened again with a confused frown. shaking her head, she slapped a hand on the wall before her as Richard was taking Al off to the side, "The hell you won't stay here. You insisted on proving that these men were lazy. You insisted, in your arrogance, that you could do better. And now that you have the chance, you're going to just give it up & not truly prove the point? I think not!" Of course, she was talking to the backs of two men who were probably ignoring her for the most part. But she knew she couldn't be ignored completely and whether she got a reply for them or not, she was heard. And Al wasn't leaving the island easily as far as she was concerned. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **AngelsDarkestSin** on **April 22, 2011, 05:06:44 PM**

~Syric mostly ignored Captain Heartswood, knowing that most of what he said was pure frustration. "I'll be bringing the new Captain here immediately. He should address his men. Lady Keshadei, I believe you know him." 

With that Syric reached into the pouch at his belt and withdrew a piece of chalk. He knelt down and began drawing a circle, surrounding it with runes and sigils. Finally, he slightly drew his blade, and pressed his fingertip to the edge, easily drawing blood. He lifted his hand and let a single drop hit the edge of the circle, activating the circle. He chanted softly under his breath as a rift formed in the air before him, widening to be taller than himself. 

Within moments, a hazy form appeared from within the portal, quickly growing more distinct as he seemed to walk toward them. Soon a form with silvery wings stepped from the portal, golden hair pulled back into a tail at the nape of his neck, and instead of the robe he normally wore, ornate golden armor covered his form. He looked around a moment, clearly disoriented, before looking to Syric, "Ah, Syric, my boy! Good to see you again. Is everything here alright?" 

Zauriel looked about for a moment, before seeing Lady Keshadei. He lifted a hand to wave, "My lady, It is good to see you again. I hoped this wasn't too much of an emergency." 

Syric sighed a moment, before he leaned to Zauriel and whispered in his ear. Zauriel's smile faltered quickly, before he shouted aloud, "You did WHAT? And why am I here?" A moment passed, before another shout, "You can't be serious! I...." 

He realized everyone was staring at them, before he spoke in a harsh whisper to Syric. Syric simply looked Zauriel in the eye, gave a slight smile, and patted him on the shoulder. "You'll do fine. Just trust your instincts." Syric turned and looked to the gathered officers and motioned for them to come to him and Zauriel. "This is the new Captain of the Guard while you are absent, Captain Heartswood. This is my uncle, Zauriel. He will take care of the land and it's people... it's what he does best. He will be in charge of your men, Al and Richard are going to be answering to him during the retraining." 

Zauriel shot Syric an angry glare, before nodding to the former captain. "If you'll excuse me..." Before he turned and walked toward Kesahdei. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **May 03, 2011, 01:02:12 PM**

Her head listed to the side, “Know him?" but she didn't bother to ask further questions. It was apparent that they would likely be ignored anyway as Syric immediately had started drawing a circle. She watches closely, her eyes scanning across the runes in full after a few were written and soon enough her face contorts into a 

faint sneer. It wasn't a dislike of whomever he was summoning, of course. It was more a matter of a summoning circle for angels being distasteful to a demonologist. 

Waiting patiently with her arms crossed at her chest, she stifles a yawn. Really, she wanted to get more info out of Richard in regards to Al. Keshadei had a feeling deep within that Al would be on her island for awhile and something told her he'd play a large part someday, though she couldn't fathom what it was. The sooner she knew something of him, the better. After a few moments, she grins pleasantly and dips her head in a greeting, “Zauriel.. always a pleasure." 

She watched Syric and his uncle in amusement then, as though she were watching some form of entertainment. Zauriel's initial reaction, indeed, even made her laugh quietly. She turns her head somewhat, realizing the sudden strange lack of female voices. Where did Raen run off to? Between Al's nonsense, Richards shyness and Syric's shocking of Zauriel, the area was amuck with emotions quickly rising. She didn't want Raen to have to be in the middle of it, but she also wanted to know where the girl was as often as possible. She looks up again when Zauriel headed her direction, leaning against the wall to wait until he got within better earshot that she wouldn't have to yell, '“I bet you weren't expecting this when you woke this morning." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Zauriel** on **May 04, 2011, 09:27:12 AM**

~Zauriel looked up at Keshadei, looking slightly miserable, but still smiled pleasantly to her. "Indeed not... My only complaint is I am... hesitant... to lead men into battle should the occasion arise." 

Compared to the last time Keshadei had seen him, in simple robes, his new gleaming, golden plate armor seemed completely out of place on the serene angel. He felt it out of place. He even dropped his voice so only she would hear him. "To be honest... I am nervous about leading these men... and ensuring your protection. I am not sure I am worthy." 

He looked down a moment, at the ground, a stray wisp of his now tied-back golden hair slipping from behind his ear, before he heaved a sigh and glanced back at Keshadei, "Well... I suppose I should see to the troops," before he smiled weakly, then straightened and turned crisply on his heel, as a military officer would do.~ 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **May 05, 2011, 01:00:05 PM**

When Al remained quiet, Richard spoke earnestly to Al, reminding him of the war and how none of them would be alive without Al's intervention. The tall man still seemed to glower next to Richard, even more after Keshadei's angry shouts. Seeing the frown, he reminded Al of the fun he had, because Richard knew Al enjoyed leading their little band of misfits into battle. That seemed to work... if the smirking grin on Al's face was any indication. 

"All very true. And even with an angel around, I doubt you lot will get that cutting edge like you developed back then. Wait..." Al frowned and looked at the angel clad in golden armor. "If he's here... " His eyes widened as he felt something familiar. 

The air pressure in the courtyard popped as a man appeared above Zariel. A silver bracelet encircled his wrist, visible as both his arms were extended out like a bird in flight. He hovered a moment before dropping down to land barefooted on Zariel's head. Corvus crouched, balancing lightly on his new perch, and leaned forward to look at Zariel with a smile. 

“When to the sessions of sweet silent thought I summon up remembrance of things past, I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought, And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste: Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow, For precious friends hid in death's dateless night, And weep afresh love's long since cancell'd woe, And moan the expense of many a vanish'd sight: Then can I grieve at grievances foregone, And heavily from woe to woe tell o'er The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan, Which I new pay as if not paid before. But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, All losses are restored and sorrows end." 

"Damn homing pigeon." Al muttered under his breath. "I'll think about it," he mumbled to Richard and vanished before Corvus turned his way. 

Al reappeared in the lower level of the mausoleum he'd claimed. "Bloody Hell! Can't a man find a little peace in this world?" His mind shot to the door of the mausoleum but he threw that worry aside, knowing he'd gummed up the lock well enough to keep people out. 

It was reassuring enough to get him moving. Pacing back and forth, swirling dust motes trailed him. "Can't a man be left alone to forget?" His eyes trailed to the old corpse hiding his coffin. "Those that die are dead and gone... or should be." Technically none of them were dead and he knew it. Maybe that is what made it so hard for him to get over all of those he'd lost. "Ahhhrg!" His irritated shout echoed in the tomb. Then he stop and dropped down in a heap on the floor. "Everyone I considered mine is gone... in one way or another. It should be better this way."


	11. Chapter 11

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **May 05, 2011, 03:37:00 PM**

Raen had gone off on her own, with every intention of going to the manor and finding something to do there. When she was only twenty yards away from where everyone was gathered at the battlements, however, another thought had come to mind. This Alucard was new to the island, and he was as curious as this whole island had originally been to her when she first arrived. Maybe she could find something about him....where she'd first encountered him. 

With that thought in mind, Raen turned direction toward the mausoleum, the one he had locked with blood. Surely she could find her way inside there. 

It was only a few minutes later that she found her way to the mausoleum. She stood outside the door a good minute or two, just staring at the lock. It was gummed up, that was for sure. It was obvious that Alucard had wanted no one to enter...but it wasn't going to keep her out likely. 

Raen knelt on the ground so she could get a closer, harder inspection of the lock. It wasn't just gummed....it was rusted. And rust meant the metal would be easier to break. _Didn't he think of that?_ she wondered while studying it, looking for a weak point. Everything, after all, had a weak point, or pressure point where it'd break easiest. When she thought she found it, Raen then focused on the area around her, looking for any sign of something that could help her. A key would be useless, anyway, so that wasn't her intention. A thick piece of wood, strong and sturdy. A rock perhaps. There was, sadly, nothing in the immediate area, which meant she was to stand and look a little further away than the nearest inches. 

With a sigh, Raen pushed herself to a stand and stepped away, searching the ground with her eyes. It was feet away, perhaps five or so, that she found a crumbling headstone, weathered and cracked. Upon the ground next to it lay a broken off piece of the top, still whole in itself and looking strong enough to do what she needed. Raen bent down to touch it, inspect it quickly to be sure. 

Within moments, Raen was back at the door to the mausoleum, hoisting the piece of headstone to just about the height of her head and then bringing it down quickly, aiming straight for the pressure point of the lock. When she looked a moment later, the lock hadn't broken open in that one attempt. So, with bits of the rock slipping in her hand, she raised it again and then was bringing it back down.... 

Slowly, the door creaked open, almost groaned even. Raen inwardly cringed, glad that no one was inside...or should've been inside, that the noise would affect. Or so, she hoped... It was foolish to think someone would be alive inside...or living dead. Vampires reigned in this time, not hid from sight in old mausoleums...right? "Stop thinking like that, Raen..." she criticized of herself. Imagining such things would only cause her trouble. 

When she was a few steps down, Raen turned to pull the door mostly closed behind her. While she was inside, she didn't need someone coming by and think they ought to investigate a open mausoleum door. That wouldn't bid well for her; she didn't need to be caught here. She wanted to look around. 

There wasn't any way to be sure how long she'd been inside. It could have been minutes or maybe even an hour. When Raen first heard a shout, what seemed of aggravation, Raen was quick to duck behind the nearest thing and hide in the shadow cast by it, peering out as quietly and carefully as she could at the man she'd come to investigate. To her amazement, Raen watched Alucard have some form of a fit and (somewhat dramatically) throw himself to the floor. She kept her place, covered in shadow. She was practiced in silence since coming to the island; her nightly escapes around the island had taught her how to sneak and be stealthy past those who sought her. This time, though, she wasn't be sought so much as she was just wanting to be hidden....until that last exclamation confused and bothered her. Not just bothered. It hit home...literally. 

That was perhaps what prompted her to stand, though still in mostly shadow for that one moment. From where she stood, she said softly and somewhat sadly, "It's never better that way." Then, from the shadows, she stepped forward only enough to be clearly seen, or at least able to be picked from the shadows behind her. "Is that why you're here? On Nordwood? To forget people you lost?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **May 25, 2011, 09:33:41 PM**

His elbows rested on his knees, forearms loosely hanging forward, and his hat tipped down to cover what emotion showed on his face. The madness was there again. Too many reminders in too short a time. His hands came up under the brim to grind his palms into his temples. Her words echoed in his brain... that or 

other souls inside just repeated it wondering the same thing. Could he forget people he lost? He'd done well enough fighting in the Queen's name in her war. Had that made it worse? It was just when he'd gotten over Hope's death enough to make a try at pulling Tame out of his depressed stated when she appeared again... just to die that same day. He snapped. 

The quite of the tomb was broken by Al's soft singing. It was an eerie tone that was unlike the classical singers of the time. Melody was there, but his voice was the wail of an injured animal.

_Ain't found a way to kill me yet_

_Eyes burn with stinging sweat_

_Seems every path leads me to nowhere_

... his head lifted and he looked around the tomb with wide wild eyes searching for dangers that weren't there. They slid over Raen like she wasn't there. 

_The bullets scream to me from somewhere_

Al stood suddenly scrambling to the shelf where he hid his coffin. One arm thrust past the skeleton on the shelf and reached the hard wood behind. A sigh eased out of him and Al's whole body slumped forward. the arm came out and rested on the chest of the skeleton before drifting up to rub her cheek. She had his attention and he continued to sing softly at first. But it ended the verse in a screeching harmony. 

_Here they come to snuff the rooster, aww yeah, hey yeah_

_Yeah here come the rooster, yeah_

_You know he ain't gonna die_

_No, no, no, ya know he ain't gonna die_

He pushed away from the burial shelf and turned away from the dead bodies. Deep heavy breaths came out of him in an exhausted pant. Finally he seemed to really see Raen and he calmed down the tiniest bit. That blue hair... it was so much like Lili's. His voice came again in soft desperation. 

_Walkin' tall machine gun man_

_They spit on me in my home land_

... Al snapped his eyes shut and his hand swung up again to press into his temples. 

_Oh god please won't you help me make it through_

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **May 26, 2011, 12:47:10 PM**

When Al glared more harshly after her shouts, she merely plastered the most sickeningly sweet smile on her face. After a moment, she grew bored & turned to remove herself from the battlements to join the growing crowd. Raen had disappeared but suddenly there was Corvus, hovering atop someone's head. She shook her head & laughed, "I wonder if I should air out the guest rooms.." 

"But first.." On a heel, she turned to face Richard who she found was now standing along. She didn't know where Al had gone but right at that moment she also didn't care. Starting towards him, she used her gaze in an attempt to compel him to stay put, "We have a conversation to finish, you and I.." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **May 26, 2011, 05:25:18 PM**

Raen remained where she was, watching Alucard. It was odd, seeing him like this. Something was off, but she couldn't place that mad look...or feeling about him. And before she knew it, he was...singing? She couldn't do anything but stare. What happened after she'd walked away from the battlements? What had she missed? 

The next time he looked at her, she knew she was actually being seen and not just passed over as part of the background, not like before. This was finally where she felt comfortable moving, stepping only slightly closer to him but more to the side than directly forward. "Hiding among the dead isn't going to help you forget," she said softly. Taking a moment to look around them even, she sighed. "Hiding at all won't help." A lot of what he was doing wasn't going to help any. It was why she wandered every night. She'd been hoping to help herself forget a life she once had, a life in a time period she wasn't sure she'd ever see again. But all she did was constantly remind herself, thus only constantly keep reliving the painful loss of it all. He was trying to do the same... 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **June 01, 2011, 04:44:54 PM**

"Yes M'Lady." Richard said immediately, caught in her gaze. "I will tell you what I can." He blinked out of his daze unknowingly. "I wonder where M'lord went. He was not acting himself. Though I must admit, Sir acting himself is not fit for your Ladyship. He is a bit too..." Richard couldn't think of a nice way to say 'too much of an ass.' "M'lord is a bit rough around the edges." He turned his head, looking for a glimpse of red. "Though, his grandfather, General Vate, told me what I saw was the shadow of Alucard and that Sir hadn't been the same since Rogue died." 

~.~ 

Al blinked, mind a bit clearer, and looked at the decayed bodies it the tomb. A wry smile that was more to his sane nature lifted his lips. "Of course hiding with the dead helps. At least I know this bunch won't wander off on me." He muttered an additional, "unlike some I know." Then again, isn't that exactly what he had done... wandered off? Tame, Lili, Isa and Mei were all back at the castle. He'd done exactly what his grandfather, Shallen had done. It must be in his blood. He was still for some time before he spoke again, this time with annoyance clear in his voice. "Why are you following me? I'm sure your countess still doesn't approve of it. You should let old, sleeping vampires lie." 

~think of something else if it bothers you so much.~ 

"I need a good fight," Al turned and pointed at Raen. "One that isn't interrupted. That's why I enjoyed the war so much. There wasn't anything else to think about. Plenty of planning and attacking and hiding behind rocks to ambush the enemy..." Al supposed hiding away did help unlike what the girl thought. "I like hiding anyway. I enjoy popping out of some dark shadow and scaring the beejeebees out of someone. It gets their heart racing and their blood pumping." His eyes closed as he picture how her blood sped up when she first saw him. "Beautiful! Anything to get a heart pumping and feed my voracious appetite. Grandfather said I was an insatiable fiend. He called me a junkie as well but that's neither here nor there." In his mind, such a phrase was literal. It didn't happen in Nordwood or Moonraes, but some distant time. Al moved in closer to Raen and when his steps didn't bring him close enough quick enough, he stepped between time and space to place himself right in front of her. "Come, brat, give us a taste. I promise I won't bite, unless you want me to." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **June 14, 2011, 03:53:34 PM**

Raen watched him. For that moment, there was nothing else to do, just let him ramble. There was plenty she wanted to say and point out. Like how the dead may not be able to wander off, but they weren't going to help him forget those who had. And how he was foolish to think otherwise. Of course, none of this was going to stop her from the next comment. 

"You're not sleeping." It was spoken rather defensively, as if that were reason enough. "Keshadei doesn't know where I'm at. For all she knows, I could be in the manor, getting a snack." Yeah, a snack, there we go. Raen shook her head at the idea of that. 

Any further comment was interrupted by his sudden claim of needing a fight. She listened to him once again ramble on in his tangent. What she didn't understand was the bit about being a junkie and then began moving toward her. Part of her told her she ought to back away or attempt to leave, but doing so might only encourage him. And before she knew anything, he was directly in front of her. Great, she was trapped. Raen glanced to either side without moving her head far. "No one feeds from me....and I'm not letting you be the first." It was an attempt at being defiant, a hopeful idea that it might stop him... 


	12. Chapter 12

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **July 29, 2011, 11:36:37 AM**

She had been watching the guards while speaking to Richard. Listening to him, of course, but also watching the group of men mill around in a state of slight confusion. It seemed not even they were completely sure what had just taken place. Transition of leadership is always a difficult time.. but having it happen like this was definitely making it worse. Nevermind.. It wasn't her job to handle them. she only funded them. When she noticed out of the corner of her eye Richard offering his hand, she shook herself out of it and nodding her agreement while she took what was offered politely, "Of course.. especially if that Alucard likes to randomly appear as he seems to do." 

As they walked, she would nod occasionally nod in a gesture to show that she was listening since she didn't yet have anything to contribute verbally. She frowns slightly, blinking at him for a moment before going in ahead of him into the meeting room. Kesha walks to the closest chair, setting her hand to its back and leans her weight on it, looking back towards Richard, "So you're saying.. for all intents and purposes.. that Alucard took on a ward?" Her head tilts at his further explaination and she shakes her head, "A group of them? Why would he keep people around them that didn't seem to want to be there?" Leaning her hip instead on the chair & crossing her arms she sighs, "He seems to be quite the fighter.. and you obviously knew him on sight. If his skills are so good, why is he not a part of the army in some manner?" She looks a bit harder at him and pushes off the chair to walk towards him, "in short, why is he on my island? What's brought him away from the mainland if he's got people there?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **August 03, 2011, 01:46:00 PM**

Richard listened to her questions as a proper officer listened to his superiors completely, attentively and confidentially. What she asked or said would not willingly be repeated by him. Unfortunately, he must answer in the same way. Al had been his commander for a shorter time than he had been stationed at Nordwood, but he was not one to break confidences or commands. His future was looking very torn. “M'lady... Alucard is an elemental of a specific race. On the whole they do not ..." He tried to think of the word Al had used, and it blurted forth when he found it. “Disturb! They do not disturb the natural flow of things. He is a fighter, but like a dog on the end of a leash, he is not allowed to attack what he wants to. I was surprised in more than the obvious way than he was attacking the Manor. M'lord isn't allowed a position of permanent military rank because it would disturb the natural order." It was hard for him to word it properly, but Al had answered his own similar question in the war. 'why aren't you a general?' He'd asked. 'Raised one measly army and got sealed for it. Banned from conquering the masses," was the answer. Looking directly at Kesha, "To make a guess, I would say Lord Alucard enjoys disturbing the natural order." 

“One night our troupe was dug in and pinning into position, I was scared out of my mind that we would die. By then, I knew exactly what he could do. I knew it was within Sir's power to free us from the encroaching force. He could have dropped them all on the spot they stood. But he didn't. He was looking over the edge of the hole we were in and...smiling." A shudder passed through Richard as he remembered that smile. “I'd seen such a smile before on veterans of arena matches. They live for the fight, the kill, the death of their enemies." Finding Kesha's eyes again, Richard shook his head. "When I asked him why he didn't just kill them all and be done with it, he frown and asked "what would be the fun in that?" One hand lifted and ran through his hair, pausing in it as if her were grasping at his thoughts. "It was all a game to him, M'lady, and no one should be allowed to play war." 

A smile lightened the dark memories that overcame him, forcefully replacing the scowl that was growing on his face. It was better to think on her other questions. “A ward... yes M'lord had had a few. He enjoys protecting the weak even as he irritated them into fighting back. Says it build character. Sir likes a reliable food source. In the army, the troupe was his reliable source, even though he soaked up the forgotten blood of the dead on the battlefield. I don't believe he ever had the need to take a bite out of anyone, other than the enemy. Not to say he didn't still feed on us, or that we received nothing in return. Just being around Lord Alucard is invigorating. 

Before the war, he had his angels. I'm sure his presence was desired as much as it was disliked. Especially to those that live off of blood. I don't know that he's had a reliable source since then." He looked up with raised eyebrows, “Not that he's been alone when I've seen him. Whenever I visited the tavern, he was there, as were plenty of others. 

After Rogue died, others of his family were lost. Now in the case of the elementals, it is more literal when I say lost. Half of his family has gone missing, as it were. Mei died in the arena so many years back, before the war, but after Rogue died. I really can't fathom how they can cope with loosing someone and having another standing in their place, still related to you but not the same person. General Shallen went in search of others that went missing in the war and vanished himself. As far as I know only M'lord's father, Tame, his sister, Lili, and cousin, Grey, remain themselves. He gave away his remaining angels to a friend; except for Lady Isabeau. But I suppose... since he's here... he's given up her as well." The final questions Kesha had were hard to answer but not to hard to speculate. “I imagine all of it is tied together in some way I can't see but," He lifted his hand in a defeated shrug. “I only know of a few reasons a man will give up all he has, M'lady. One is they think they don't deserve it. Second is they think they will loose it, so they give it up before they will miss it. Third is that they are insane and don't know what they are loosing." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **August 19, 2011, 12:51:43 PM**

The gesture made to indicate he'd not touch her did little to actually ease her at the moment. Something about him was still unpredictable. But his comments about himself and that she ought to listen to her elders did draw the need to say something. "What elders am I supposed to be listening to exactly? No one's said anything." Well, okay, nothing in that moment that should command obedience or acknowledgment. While he began pacing, Raen allowed herself to take a few steps forward, listening to him. "I'm sure the guards would _love_ to see you again, especially if you decide to feed off them." It was a comment made in jest of the situation he'd caused in making a point to Keshadei. His suggestion of the cellar did bring a shrug to lift her shoulders. "Cellar's back at the main building." There was a thumb jerking motion over her shoulder in a nonchalant manner. Of course, Raen did laugh a little at his mention that she wouldn't be lying if they went for blood. "Hey, I haven't lied. No one knows where I was going after the battlements or even that I'm here with you. I haven't lied." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **August 26, 2011, 12:00:42 PM**

"Good! Lying always comes back to haunt those that lie. I learned there are ways to tell the truth without lying." It was a bit cryptic to say, but Al learned well from the evasive fae. "The guards..." he ground his teeth together thinking more of his grandmother's pet, Corvus, than the men. "Can't go right out into plain sight. That would spoil all my hiding." 

He slide sideways across the floor in one long stretch of the legs to place himself at Raen side again. One arm snaked around her back and pulled her into a sideways hug lifting her parkway off the ground while his other hand waved strait armed, palm out, in front of them. "The world is our oyster! Let's go see a little pearl of it. The sea of tranquilly will drown out the waves of discontent. I don't particularly believe that kind of nonsense," he contradicted himself, "but it has a certain ... je ne sais quoi." 

The certain kind of something made him think of France and than, of course, made him think of Frenchwomen which was never a good thing for him to remember in his state of mind. His grip tightened, pulling. Raen tight to his side. "Bloody French and there little phrases," he muttered. Eyes clouded by sad memories of those he'd lost, Al lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "c'est la vie." 

Then he took a step, dragging Raen alone with him between this and that. The void between was neither hot or cold. It was empty, but Al could see all with only a though to focus. He focused on the area he had seen John get the blood for him. It was harder to focus on the cellar without knowing what it looked like, but he knew the exact location. When the path he walked on shifted ghostly around them, the crypt merge into the cellar in only a few steps. 

"Oho!" Al exclaimed when the world became solid again around Raen and him. John turned with a jerk and dropped the bottle in his hand. Al's sudden 'oho' along with the suddenly crowded cellar made him yell. The tight arm around Raen's shoulders dropped away. 

"That was a mistake." But it wasn't a reprimand to John. It was one for himself. Not often did Al admit being in the wrong, but the sudden drain on his energy made him realize many things. One, he hadn't fed much before he left MoonRae's. Two, he'd traveled to the unknown with little more than a description in his head, twice now. Three, he hadn't fed nearly enough before he was popping around his new residence. Four, and most mistakenly, he'd dragged another through his God's abode without a thought to what price she would make him pay. All his energy gone, Al's eyes rolled back and he pitched forward like a falling tree. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **November 08, 2011, 10:33:21 PM**

Raen took what Al was saying with a grain of salt, as the saying goes. Lying was good at certain times, but definitely not always. She'd escaped a few bad situations in the past with a well dealt lie, after all. But the truth was typically the better option. Of course, she'd not admit any of this thinking to Al, and his muttering of guards and hiding just made the idea of it rather bland. "There's not much else to do to get there, than to walk." Of course, that was her understanding. She wasn't gifted with teleportation, and she wasn't all that sure about Al's abilities, though she was sure he had a few tricks up his sleeve. 

And sure enough, there was one to be revealed. As he snaked an arm around her and practically lifted her inches off the ground, Raen found herself reaching an arm around him to be sure he wouldn't drop her; she wasn't sure what was happening, but she wasn't about to let him drop her for anything, especially as he began to walk! And before her own eyes, something became of the room around them. No longer was it a solid image of the crypt but a vast nothingness only to shift once again into a hazy, shifty appearance of the cellar in the manor. And within moments, it was absolutely solidified, and Al was shouting out. It made her jump, even as his arm fell away. Hearing the crash of glass hitting the floor, her eyes sought the source and soon she found herself staring at John, the servant. 

All at once, everything changed. It wasn't like the room had shifted again, but there was something definitely different. For one, Al was pitching forward, which brought a shriek from Raen. She wasn't the queasy or uneasy type typically, but the sight of him falling forward frightened her in that moment...


	13. Chapter 13

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **November 15, 2011, 11:03:35 AM**

In utter silence did she listen to all Richard had to say. At first, she was calm but determined to learn more of this man. But it wasn't long before she began to grow uneasy. She knew the type of smile that he spoke of, she had seen it herself on many others. Some would say that Kesh herself had sported it in some of her darker times. 

Before long, after Richard had finished his answer, all Kesh could do was sign. She stared at the lingering men, crossed her arms and eventually shook her head, "The way you describe him sounds like one that had fallen into insanity. Yet the way you say he interacts with his wards & family makes one wonder at the depth of such insanity." 

If Alucard was insane, Kesh certainly wouldn't want Raen anywhere near him. Raen was /her/ ward, after all... Al certainly couldn't be thinking to take over that role, could he? They were together, as a matter of fact, when she came across him in the study. Could his possible insanity be looking to cause him to hurt, even kill her? Another sigh is heard as she turns back to Richard, "So its unknown why he's here & he's potential insane. Surely, as a guard, you can understand that I can see no possible reasoning to allow him to stay here under such conditions?"

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **November 17, 2011, 11:01:14 AM**

"Yes... yes of course you are right and just for thinking so, M'lady. He said as much himself when I asked him to stay. My familiarity clouded my judgement." Richard said reluctantly. "It was wrong of me to ask such a thing before asking you, M'lady, but I thought your demand for him to stay and fulfill his boast meant you wished him to stay. If you do not know the why of his presence, I can only offer the suggestion of asking him why he is here." 

“I slept under a roof my father owned, in a bed my father bought." Corvus suddenly was there behind Richard balancing on one bare, foot on the top of the settee. Richard jumped half drawing his sword before recognizing the strange man. Richard opened his mouth to let loose a stream of chastisement when Corvus went on rhyming. “Nothing was mine except my heart, and my fears, and my growing knowledge that not every road was gonna lead home anymore." 

"Are you talking about Alucard?" He asked knowing only enough that this man spoke in riddles. "He has nothing? Ahhh! No-one but Lady Mei and Shallen can understand him." He rubbed his hand over his face and looked again at Corvus. 

“I'm so tired, but I can't sleep...standing on the edge of something much too deep" Corvus switched feet arms out for balance, as if he needed it. “...funny how I feel so much but cannot say a word...we are screaming inside, oh, but we can't be heard...so afraid to love you, more afraid to lose...clinging to a past." 

"I'm sorry, M'Lady. He never makes much sense." 

Corvus stood tall one hand behind his back and the other pressed to his chest. “Recite! `But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked. 

`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.' 

`How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice. 

`You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.' 

Alice didn't think that proved it at all; however, she went on `And how do you know that you're mad?' `To begin with,' said the Cat, `a dog's not mad. You grant that?' 

`I suppose so,' said Alice. 

`Well, then,' the Cat went on, `you see, a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad.'" 

"You are not a cat!" Richard shouted frustrated. 

Corvus crouched on the top of the settee, perfectly comfortable to balance there and stared hard at Keshadei. “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." 

A crash and a shriek from somewhere below made its way to the room, causing both Richard and Corvus to look at the floor. Corvus seemed focused intently on finding where it came from. “The very best of vineyards is the cellar," he said before hopping off the settee and vanishing. 

"The Cellar!" Richard said with a snap of his fingers. "I understood that well enough." He ran to the door, remembering himself at the last moment as he caught the doorframe and gave the briefest of bows, a "M'lady", then dashed outside. 

Corvus reappeared beside Al in the cellar before John had a chance to move to touch the elemental. John was to fascinated with how the blood from the bottle he broke was soaking up underneath Alucard like he was a sponge. The glass, however, he would still have to clean up. "M'lord..." John said even though the appearance of the man didn't reassure him of the man's station. "M'lord be careful of the glass! Your feet will be cut." 

The response he received from Corvus was a blank look before staring at his own feet. "Ow," said the birdbrain before hoping on the only spot that didn't seem to have glass, Al's back. 

A slow breath was exhaled from John as he kept his composure. People appearing and disappearing, falling giants, broken glass... start with the small things first and solve your way up the problems. People popping out of the air he could do nothing about except, well... accept it. He grabbed the broom resting in the corner and pushed the glass into a neat pile. Corvus took that as an invitation to step again on the floor. "Let us see about carrying him out shall we?" John sighed and added, "It might take all of us." He moved to Al's head and started to kneel down when Corvus was suddenly in between them.

Corvus held up a hand and shook his head. The hand went from a flat palm out stop to one finger up in a wait gesture. He crouched next to Al's shoulder where he could see Al's eyes. Carefully, he reached out and lifted his eyelids. The bright colorful swirl made him drop the lids quickly. A tune was soon being hummed and Corvus grabbed Alucard's coat lapels to vigorously shake the man. 

"SIR! What good will that do." 

“When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple." 

That quote John recognized. "Jonah chapter 2 verse 7. Has he fainted?" 

Corvus tapped Al's cheeks repeatedly. “It's God's doing. There has got to be a reason for this to continue on." 

"That is the most sensible think I've ever heard you say" Richard called down from the top of the cellar ramp. A few other guards stood behind him in the courtyard. 

“Faint heart ne'er won fair lady" Resting the side of his head against Al's chest he listened to the heartbeat within. “The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature." 

“If I can stop one Heart from breaking I shall not live in vain." Corvus pulled Al to sit upright, supporting the blood king's body, and putting the red hat on his own head. The glasses Corvus picked up as well and put them on. “If I can ease one life the Aching Or cool one Pain Or help one fainting Robin Unto his Nest again I shall not live in Vain" He knelt lifting the top half of Al up without difficulty, draping Al's arms over his shoulders; but Al's body was to long to manage alone. “Cast your fate to the wind and with a little up draft's help anyone downwind can benefit." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **December 08, 2011, 01:47:42 PM**

She wouldn't step closer. From where she'd been, Raen watched as Al fell to the floor, still uncomfortable with the thought that he had, and just waited. Maybe he was playing some foul trick. But he couldn't be. And then the appearance of a man she didn't know. Raen stepped closer only then, not sure of what was happening or even why. Finally, she spoke rather timidly, "Will he be alright?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **December 27, 2011, 01:40:22 PM**

"Someone that you'd say enjoys disturbing the natural order & I've got him here on a measly little island." She puts a hand to her forehead and shakes her head slowly, "Oh this is an entire recipe for disaster, isn't it?" It wasn't really a question meant for Richard. She was mostly talking aloud to herself, but it was obvious that it was likely true. "Oh I'll ask him, though I suspect that I'll not get an answer. At least, not a straight answer. But its worth asking, anyway." 

She didn't show any signs of startle when Corvus suddenly spoke, she wasn't generally easily started, even at such an appearance. She was quiet for the time being, tilting her head at him while Richard showed signs of frustration and tried again to get the man to make sense. Her hand was up to her chin and she was seeming to watch him intently though it was more that she was listening as closely as possible more so than she was watching him. She waves a hand at Richard's comments of the man not making sense and shakes her head, "No.. he just speaks in riddles, that's all. or perhaps just in the only way he knows how." She furrows her brow, thinking, "Like he mimics, of a sort. But I have no idea what he could possibly be mimicking" She steps closer, sure that she's just on the edge of understanding what it is that the man is trying to get them to see but she suddenly blinks, as though from a daze and looks around at the sudden sound of a crash, "What in the gods name..?" 

It took her a brief moment after Richard had run off and Corvus had disappeared before she gathered herself enough to get her feet to follow behind Richard. She had her skirts gathered in her hands and was rushing towards the cellar since its obvious that's where he was intending to go. She arrived to see Alucard flat on his face, the stranger standing strangely on his back, Raen looking upset & John looking bewildered. It was a site for the age, indeed. John was reaching for the broom as she walked through the cellar door and she tries her best to take in what was going on before asking. She moved to stand beside John when Corvus was shaking Alucard and she frowns slightly and speaks quietly, "He's paying for something? What?" She looks between Richard and Corvus, questioningly and kneels down to the side where Corvus had propped up the unconscious stranger and leans towards Corvus, "Why would his heart be breaking?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Corvus** on **December 28, 2011, 06:21:47 PM**

"With pain I learned about the tragedy that has struck your family, ..." Corvus started, looking at Al's head by his shoulder. "You have lost the most loyal and devoted friend." He turned to look at Kesha as she joined him where he knelt. "Gone is a wonderful person, a beautiful woman, a loving wife and mother." 

John asked, " Has he lost his mother?" A wealth of sadness moved over the chamberlains face. That the strange man's poetic words were not simple speech did not occur to him because Corvus made perfect sense to him "Tis' a sad thing to loose a mother." One hand lifted and indicated for Richard to come over, "Lift his feet as the good man asks." 

"Princess Hope has been missing since the war." Richard said as he moved to pick up Al's feet. "Wait.. you understand Corvus's babble?" 

"The man does not babble." John said indignantly. 

"In times of catastrophe, when destruction, suffering and death are so overwhelming that it breaks your heart and almost leaves you numb, it is comforting to find that an outpouring of generosity, kindness and help from our fellow man restores our faith and strengthens our souls," Corvus said smiling. 

"Rightfully so." John agreed and looked at Keshadei. "Shall I lead him to the room I prepared earlier? You did mention briefly that we should air out the rooms for the growing company. I have taken the liberty to open up three before I came down to get refreshments for the guests."


	14. Chapter 14

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **December 29, 2011, 10:37:03 AM**

She was touching Alucard's cheek, trying to pat it lightly.. then a little harder.. to see if it might revive him. When Corvus started to speak, it was impossible not to pay attention considering how close she was to him. As the exchange went on, Keshadei shifted Alucard's body in an effort to make him more comfortable. yes, he was out cold so wouldn't know the difference now but she well knew what it was like to wake up from being knocked out in an awkward position. Kesh's ear twitched slightly and she looked up, "Princess Hope? His mother? Surely not, the age difference.. " She trails off, trying to make sense of it all. She grins at Richard, lifting a shoulder as though to say she were just as confused as he was. John was right, Corvus wasn't babbling but still, the odd little man didn't always make sense right away. At other times, he did. She gives a faint little laugh at Corvus' last words and nods, even as John agrees as well, "Yes, lets get him to one of those rooms." She starts to stand up, Al's arm still in her hands as she begins hoisting him up, "Though we should really make an attempt to get him up there with a little more dignity than by his hands and feet. I could carry him on my own but that wouldn't be proper, a woman carrying a male into her home." She did, however, get Al to his feet, her hands under his arms as she looks to the other two men, "Shall we find something to carry him on or shall you two carry him by the arms, hm? Raen, go inside ahead of the group and turn down the bed sheets further so we don't have to fight them to get his feet underneath" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **December 30, 2011, 12:09:46 PM**

It was incredibly and increasingly difficult to keep her eyes peeled away from where Alucard lay. The exchange of words passed among them all fell deafly unto her, or perhaps passed in one ear and out the other. Whatever the case, it wasn't until her name was spoken that Raen glanced at Kesha and actually saw the woman there with Al resting on one side of her. There was a slow nod as she tried twice to get it through her head what she'd been told to do. After a moment longer, she nodded more affirmatively and turned to move for the stairs at the back corner of the cellar, the only set that would bring her into the main building via the kitchens: a servant's entrance easily. 

On her way to complete her task, there wasn't a surprise that she startled a young servant girl with her haste and surely her own, shocked appearance. As if in second thought, Raen stopped only long enough to point behind her and order, "Bring three bottles of blood to the guest bedroom east of the main stairway." Not offering anything more to the servant, Raen was off again to do the task she was given. The blood was a thought of memory. Before they'd appeared in the cellar, for surely that was what they'd done, she and Al had been discussing a snack and feeding. She couldn't be sure of what she was thinking, but she wanted to believe the blood was what he needed. 

Raen was at the guest bedroom minutes later. The door was pushed open and left ajar as she moved quickly for the bed to draw the blankets back and away, making sure there was enough room for them to get Al onto the bed and under them easily enough. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **January 09, 2012, 01:54:11 PM**

"Shed no tears until seeing the coffin." Corvus cheerfully informed Keshadei as she tapped Alucard's cheeks and lifted Al by his arms. Corvus left on of his own hands glued to Al's wrist which he lifted and shook. 

"Good to know he isn't dead." Richard said as he let out a breath and heaved Up on Al's legs. When they were lighter than he expected, he stumbled back a bit from the extra force he had put into lifting him. "Well!" he said hefting Al's legs like they were feather pillows. "I imagine I could lift him as well m'Lady... but he is tall, and I'd most likely be dragging him on the ground." 

"Mock not the fallen, for slippery is the road ahead of you." Corvus waved a finger at Al, while his other hand kept a good grip on Al's wrist. "In vain have you tried your father's arts, you slippery one." And indeed, Al's body seemed to be slipping out of Richard and Kesha's grip like the wet noodle he was. Corvus tapped his pointing finger to his lips, appearing as if he were thinking of a solution. 

"Thus, it comes to pass, that a certain room in a certain old hall, where a certain bad lord, baronet, knight, or gentleman, shot himself, has certain planks in the floor from which the blood will not be taken out. You may scrape and scrape, as the present owner has done, or plane and plane, as his father did, or scrub and scrub, as his grandfather did, or burn and burn with strong acids, as his great-grandfather did, but, there the blood will still be - no redder and no paler - no more and no less - always just the same." 

"I believe M'lady Keshadei had the best solution." Al's legs slipped out of Richard's hands to drop again to the floor with a wet sound even though Al didn't appear to be turning into a puddle. Richard looked up to the cellar door and called out to a fellow guard. "Fetch us a plank from the stable. We can use it as a stretcher. If you cant find one, get a length of canvas from the barracks. That should suffice as well." He gave a sigh and looked at his hands, surprised that there was no blood on them. "If we can move him at all after Corvus's little speech." 

"A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin." 

"You said he was not dead, Corvus!" Richard exclaimed. 

John looked thoughtful as Corvus spoke but had intercepted the maid that had entered the cellar at Raen's order. He was choosing new bottles from the racks, since the bottle he had picked was already demolished on the floor. "I believe, Sir, that he is asking if we have seen Lord Alucard's coffin." It was best, he thought, to leave out what he translated from the 'little speech' as Richard called it. Something about it was far more ominous sounding. Like a vampire that was invited in, John assumed now that there was no sending Lord Alucard away. 

“Every cradle asks us, "Whence?" and every coffin, "Whither?" 

"See? He asks where m'Lord's coffin is." The guards that had left at Richards request returned with both a board and a canvas sheet. John waved them closer and indicated for them to place the canvas on the board and place both on the floor beside Alucard's body. "Should we find it so he can recover, m'Lord?" he asked Corvus. 

“A wooden bed is better than a golden coffin. Corvus responded. “the silence that guards the tomb does not reveal God's secret in the obscurity of the coffin, and the rustling of the branches whose roots suck the body's elements do not tell the mysteries of the grave, by the agonized sighs of my heart announce to the living the drama which love, beauty, and death have performed."

"That doesn't sound comforting." Richard said. 

“Comfort zones are plush lined coffins. When you stay in your plush lined coffins, you die."

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **January 20, 2012, 01:50:04 PM**

She kept a steady hold on Al's arms at first, stumbling right along with Richard when he did so after overestimating Al's weight. She kept her attention on Corvus, however, her brow creased with thought as she watched him wiggle around Al's wrist and speak. She gave a brief nod at Richard, "yes, he is rather tall, I hope the beds aren't too short for him." She'd had that problem herself, when she'd first arrived to the island. She wasn't as tall as Al was but she was still unusually tall for a female. It wasn't long before she'd had her own bed specially made to be longer than the usual bed but she hadn't done the same for most of the guest bedrooms. Now wasn't the time to worry about such petty comforts, though. Again her attention was focused on Corvus, "His fathers arts?" She started to ask questions about that but was distracted for the moment when her hands slipped and almost lost grip of Al. Keshadei blinked, confused and looked at Richard, "He's so light, why would we have such a hard time keeping hold of him?" 

After Richard had called for a plank, Keshadei gently followed his suit and laid Al down again as carefully as she could. She shakes her head at Corvus' long and very unusual little speech but she puts her hands on her hips and spoke more to Richard than to Corvus, "I suspect this little man could tell us a lot about Alucard here. If only he didn't speak in such blasted riddles!" She was pacing a little, impatiently waiting for the plank to arrive and frustrated that there wasn't anything she could do. Richard's sudden exclamation startled her and she frowns for what seemed to be the hundredth time that evening, "his coffin?" She looked around, ignoring the fact that the men had arrived with a plank and canvas. While they dealt with Al's body she started looking around, "Surely he didn't arrive here with a coffin? Someone would have noticed that too easily." She walked along the walls of the cellar, assuming that perhaps if Al did indeed have one, it might be hidden there. She looked over her shoulder, " indeed.. 'wooden bed is better than a golden coffin'.. perhaps we should just keep to the plan at hand. have him taken up to the bed Raen chose for him." Keshadei knew there were some of her kind that felt that they required their coffins. Others, such as herself, didn't find that to be true. She still wasn't entirely sure what Al was but she felt that it'd be best to keep him where they could keep a ready eye on him. "We'll ask him about this coffin business whenever he wakes." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **January 23, 2012, 03:12:57 PM**

To answer how Al might move around without being seen with a coffin, Corvus shrugged. “They don't put luggage racks on hearse” That baffled even John though he wouldn't admit it. The birdbrain lifted a hand and patted Kesha's shoulder comfortingly “Tact is the art of making guests feel at home when that's really where you wish they were.” Corvus seemed more animated to answer Kesha's other questions about the difficulty holding Al. “But somewhere, beyond space and time,” Corvus began to rhyme, “is wetter water, slimier slime! And there (they trust) there swimmeth one, who swam ere rivers were begun. Immense, of fishy form and mind, squamous, omnipotent, and kind.” 

"That's Tame he's talking about," Richard said with a smile at understanding one of the rhymes. "He's hard to hold because his father is water? That's my guess." 

“Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.” Corvus said as he watched John hand the bottles of bloodwyne to the maid. 

Richard scowled at the thought. "God help us no. No wine for you Corvus. We need at least sober answers that are hard to understand." 

Looking at Kesha, Corvus moved to the opposite end of the board from Richard and said, “I would rather have a big burden and a strong back, than a weak back and a caddy to carry life's luggage” 

"I guess he means to say he will carry him, M'lady" Richard said to Keshadei. "No need to bother yourself with this burden." An almost apologetic shrug accompanied his smile. "Even as light as it is." He looked down to Corvus and said, "On 3…" 

“By doing simple acts of kindness for others, we can't help but lift ourselves up, too.” 

"I suppose that's one." 

“By lifting the weakest, poorest among us, we lift the rest of us as well.” 

"Two…"

“For there is no friend like a sister, in calm or stormy weather, to cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands.” 

"Three." 

They stood together. Corvus leaned close to Al's head and whispered in his ear to try to keep Al from being disturbed by the movement. He of course knew such a movement could cause Al to reach as if he were being attacked, so reassurance was essential for the sleeping elemental. “All emotions are pure which gather you and lift you up; that emotion is impure which seizes only one side of your being and so distorts you.” As they carried him out of the cellar, Corvus went on in his usual manner chattering away inspirationally and excitedly. 

“Refuse to fall down. If you cannot refuse to fall down, refuse to stay down, lift your heart toward heaven like a hungry beggar, ask that it be filled and it will be filled. You may be pushed down. You may be kept from rising. But no one can keep you from lifting your heart toward heaven-only you. It is in the middle of misery that so much becomes clear. The one who says nothing good came of this is not yet listening.” 

"Is he so miserable, M'Lord, that he put himself into this state?" John asked as he lead the way to the chamber he had prepared. "Surely one can not be so lost in their misery as to knock themselves out. You mentioned this being God's will. Has God so taken him to treat his sick soul?" 

“A healthy body is a guest chamber for the soul: a sick body is a prison” Corvus nodded to Al on the board. “See an old unhappy bull, Sick in soul and body both.” 

"But can God heal such a soul?" Richard questioned following along with John's thoughts and his own. 

“The book which the reader now holds in his hands, from one end to the other, as a whole and in its details, whatever gaps, exceptions, or weaknesses it may contain, treats of the advance from evil to good, from injustice to justice, from falsity to truth, from darkness to daylight, from blind appetite to conscience, from decay to life, from bestiality to duty, from Hell to Heaven, from limbo to God. Matter itself is the starting point, and the point of arrival is the soul. Hydra at the beginning, an angel at the end.” 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Lili** on **January 23, 2012, 05:17:40 PM**

The corridors of the castle had all been walked, her room rearranged countless times, and walks outside abound. Lili had once again found herself inside her room at the Castle of Forbidden Dreams. She had checked on her grandmother Mei through her viewing pool, even took the time to check on her grandmother Rendhara and both grandfathers. She didn't linger long on any of them, deciding to look on the one family member that could stir trouble or entertain her with a most intriguing conversation. "Where are you, brother?" she asked the pool softly, a finger tapping the water's surface to stir the current scene. When another scene had emerged in the pool of water, Lili couldn't contain her gasp. A hand was even brought to her mouth as she watched a scene in a wine cellar. She could see the bottles of wine behind the gathered people she saw. And in the midst of them all, she could plainly see her brother unconscious there among them. Their words filtered through to her, but it was Corvus's she cared more to hear; his answers would give her more meaning than the answers of those who know not what they speak of. However, before too much was to be learned, they were leaving the cellar! No, no, this wasn't good! 

"Follow them," was the command she gave to the pool as she waved her hand over the water's surface, skimming it enough to disrupt and allow her a wider view. They were moving through the halls now, and Corvus was still speaking. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **January 24, 2012, 11:42:38 AM**

Keshadei looked over her shoulder when Corvus had patted her and she had smiled faintly. Turning to face the rest of the group, she walked to rejoin them and chuckled at Richard's expression at guessing one of the riddles, "I most sincerely wish he would make more sense. Its obvious that he is a wealth of knowledge about our slippery little guest." She nodded briefly and stepped back before they started their unusual count to three. She watched them closely, concerned that Alucard might actually slip off the plank which he had been placed on as easily as he was slipping out of her hands. She turned to Corvus with a baffled look, confused and looking between him and the bottle of wine which he was staring at, "Is he bloody well talking to the wine?" She looked at Richard with a frown, reaching to grab the bottle in question just out of principle. That, and it gave her something to do. She would follow the males, slowly and keeping just a few paces behind while she simply listened. When Corvus was involved, it was really almost all one could do. She shook her head again, staring at the bottle in her hands, "I can't imagine someone doing this to themselves.." It was softly spoken, and not to anyone in particular but more to herself. This Alucard was a baffling creature and to a scholastic sort like Keshadei, it fascinated her just enough to want to find out more. As they neared the house, she hesitated and slowly her head raised up. Lines creased her brow as she frowns and looks around them slowly. They were being watched. She looked around, unable to find anyone in the open area just around the house and turned her attentions in a more mental direction. It wasn't long before she realized that they were being watched via scrying, though she didn't know who it was watching them, nor why anyone would bother. She grumbles under her breath and quickens her pace, "Get him inside quickly, find out where Raen intends to put him." As she walked through the front doors, making sure they were all well within her home, she firmly shut the heavy door. As it shut, her usual wards which she kept in constant upkeep around her home activated. They were meant to keep the average person who meant harm from the home just by giving off a sense of foreboding that most would avoid. it was also meant to avoid scrying of all kinds. She well knew that it was possible to do so from other planes and she wanted no part of anyone seeing anything within her walls. As she moved away to rejoin the party she was with, Keshadei walked slowly again, mentally checking to see if they were still being watched. If so, it wasn't just an average person she had tried to block the view of and she would need to do a bit more to black out their sight.


	15. Chapter 15

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Lili** on **February 04, 2012, 09:42:18 PM**

The scene she followed at the wider view in her pools was a bird's eye view. She was able to watch as the group of people brought her brother to the main building. One thing caught her attention and gave her something to decide on...and quick. It was the woman following the men looking upward. Scrying was by no means perfect, and many who knew of magic, or were sensitive to it, could know they were being watched. And this woman wasn't pleased with being watched. That fact meant there was little time for Lili's reaction. Her finger tips brushed the pool of water, brushing just over the woman and no one else. With a little smile as the woman hurried for the building once again, urging the men to go faster, Lili whispered softly at the water, "The bottle." 

As soon as the second word was out, the image in the viewing pool swirled violently until coming to a stop only seconds later, the image now curved and not exceptionally clear, as if from a bottle. Lili looked the best she could around, trying to be sure she could keep an eye on her brother's form from there. It wasn't easy, but it would have to do. She wasn't going to try a wider view again just yet for fear that the wards might actually work to keep her out; there weren't many places she chose to peek on that were guarded via wards from scrying. 

From this position, even if she couldn't see well, Lili could hear. Corvus was speaking...and one mention he made was perfectly clear to the young woman. The void. She hadn't been there alone before, but she well knew Zeta existed. If her brother was in the hands of Zeta, she couldn't be sure what was going to happen. But she wanted to be sure of Al's safety before she chanced even a look... 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **February 09, 2012, 02:44:06 PM**

Raen had indeed gotten the room prepared for Alucard. But she had also prepared it for the arrival of those bringing him upstairs. Any furniture that might have been in the way and easily an obstacle was quickly moved and repositioned in the room. She was sure to hear about it later, doing the work herself and not calling for a servant to, but there wasn't time to be wasted gathering the servants necessary. And her somewhat vampiric nature afforded her the strength to do it all herself. 

In due time, Raen was leaving the room to return downstairs in order to find where they were. She barely got off the bottom stair when she heard everyone entering into the building and even came upon them herself. With a quick look cast toward Keshadei, Raen was soon looking over Alucard. He was still unconscious, something which turned her mood down again; she'd been hoping he'd wake. So much for that hope. To Keshadei once she glanced at the woman again, Raen quickly said, "The room is ready." To Corvus and Richard, she pointed upward and said even quicker, "Eastern guest room." Then she was hurrying up ahead of them, her skirts even gathered in fists as she went. 

It wasn't much later that she was walking in ahead of the men and then standing off the side, ready to assist them once they were ready...or if they required assistance. Of course, Corvus and Richard were first headed to the side of the bed where the board upon which Alucard rested was to be placed; they could lift him the two of them onto the bed with a good heave. Raen moved forward only then but didn't get in the way.

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **February 13, 2012, 02:14:22 PM**

"...ought to be secured in that particular description of iron safe which is commonly called a coffin." Richard followed John who followed Raen's lead. Corvus seemed to keep up the end of the train, talking and chattering to Kesha and anyone else that would listen. 

"Lord!" Richard said in exasperation. "He will not stop about the coffin!" Back to Corvus, Richard said, "You told us not to put him in a coffin like we would most vampires, so we are putting him in a bed." Even as he said it, the two of them place the board on the bed and lifted Al into the sheets by means of the canvas. "Why in the world do you keep going on about the coffin? Where is his coffin?" 

"I don't know." Corvus answered with a shrug. "People always think that there has got to be a dark side to everyone, a closet with skeletons, demons under the bed." 

John busied himself with pulling the covers on one side of the bed. “Hidden where other’s can’t find it then?” Al's legs looked a bit bent up but there was no other solution besides letting the long legs dangle off the end. The stillness of the man’s body troubled him. Even an ill man moved in his sleep. “I believe it when you say he is not dead, m’Lord, but should we fetch a healer?” 

Corvus waved a hand at Al's prone body on the bed. “Here is a guy who's had a stake driven through his heart. I mean, really nailed to the bottom of the coffin with a wooden stake, and a silver bullet through the forehead for good measure-and yet he keeps coming back.” 

"Lord knows that's true." Richard had seen Al get torn asunder and he would bounce back. "Which is why do not understand why he hasn't bounced back yet." 

The bottle Kesha held caught Corvus's attention again and he moved closer, leaning down to take a good look inside. He tapped the glass for good measure. “the silence that guards the tomb does not reveal God's secret in the obscurity of the coffin, and the rustling of the branches whose roots suck the body's elements do not tell the mysteries of the grave, by the agonized sighs of my heart announce to the living the drama which love, beauty, and death have performed.” 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **February 15, 2012, 10:46:12 AM**

She still felt...something. But it was small and didn't feel quite the same as it was before. She frowned a moment, trying to figure it out but before long she shrugged and decided that they were safe enough. Perhaps what she was feeling was someone still trying to scry and failing? It didn't matter right now, she had other more pressing matters to deal with. Shutting the doors to the house behind her, she saw Raen meeting them at the stairs. She walked to her, touching a hand to the girls cheek and offering a reassuring smile, "Thank you, dear." It was obvious, though she didn't know the reason why, that Raen was bothered by this man being unconscious. It was beyond her understanding, really. The man had been nothing but a nuisance ever since he had arrived, causing nothing but trouble. But again, there was time to figure that out later. They had to get the man settled and see what they could do to wake him. 

Following the men upstairs, she stayed out of the way but close enough to be of help should anything happen on the way to the room. It wasn't the easiest of things to carry someone on a stretcher anywhere, let alone up a flight of stairs. She occasionally nodded to Corvus' rambling but wasn't completely listening. The man wasn't making sense, there was no reason to try to figure him out. She frowns at Richard's frustrated comments, "Apparently the coffin has some significance. Perhaps I should go back to the cellar's and try to find it. Surely if Alucard was found there, that's where his coffin would be?" She hesitated a moment in the doorway to the bedroom, almost ready to head back immediately, but Corvus' words made her stop. She nodded slowly at that, "Hidden then, and not wanted to be found. We'll get the damned coffin when he wakes up if he wants it." 

Her concern deepened when Richard affirmed that Alucard was usually very easily able to overcome even the deadliest of things. She stared at him on the bed, wondering if she was about to have a corpse on her hands to deal with. She looked down with exasperation when Corvus idled up to her, staring at the bottle in her hands, even tapping it! She rolled her eyes, roughly setting the bottle down on a nearby dresser and pushing past Corvus, grumbling, "I swear, nothing but riddles and nonsense." When she had let go of the bottle, she found it odd that she felt less the odd sensation of scrying she had earlier felt even after raising her wards. But since that didn't make sense either, she ignored it. So much to try to sort out all at one. One thing at a time.. and the seemingly dead man took precedence. She moved to the bed, nudging Alucard's body until she was able to sit on the edge and look him over. She felt his skin, opened his eyes to look into them, prodded and poked and every other thing she could possibly imagine, "Were he a more normal sort of vampire, I would say that it would seem he's taken to his deep sleep. But nothing about this man seems normal so I wouldn't risk to even assume that. But what else could it possibly be..? He didn't seem to be starving, he'd looked well fed."

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **February 15, 2012, 06:24:42 PM**

There wasn't much she was sure she could do. Raen joined Kesha while the men transferred Alucard onto the bed. One hand was running over the knuckles of the other until the string of words Corvus was spouting hit her. She looked half crazed as she glanced between Alucard, Corvus, then to Richard and John. When she looked at Keshadei finally, she was almost sure of what she was going to do. 

Stepping away from Kesha finally, Raen moved toward the door as if to exit. She did pause to turn around and look at the men again. She couldn't go alone. Either Kesha would throw a fit if she did and follow or she wasn't sure she could do it herself anyway. "Richard," she called. "I need you to come with me." She had an idea of where the coffin was, but she wasn't about to say it. If Alucard had gone through the trouble of hiding it, she wasn't going to let everyone know where to find it. Without another word, she was out the door of the room. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **February 29, 2012, 06:27:48 PM**

“It's great,” Corvus answered Kesha, “but there is one problem. She doesn't sleep. At night she seems to turn into a vampire. She wakes up every night five or 10 times, asking for things, singing, calling out.” The man climbed up on the bed beside Al's head and between Al and the bottle on the table. He idly played with the cork in the top. “When one creates phantoms for oneself, one puts vampires into the world, and one must nourish these children of a voluntary nightmare with one's blood, one's life, one's intelligence, and one's reason, without ever satisfying them.” 

"HE doesn't sleep." Richard corrected but knew it was true. "He does like to sing…" Richard said distractedly watching Kesha check Al's vitals. "He is definitely not singing now. It sure looks like he's sleeping, but I've only seen him sleep a handful of times at most. I've never seen him like this. I wouldn't know what m'Lord would look like if he were starved. He never seems satisfied though." It made him feel useless. How could this man fall? 

"Yes m'Lady," Richard said immediately to Raen, glad for the distraction, but then realized he probably should have asked where and why. His last real orders had come from Al: protect the Ladies. Lady Keshadei had simply asked him to follow her. Questions aside, he had been protecting the ladies with his presence and aiding his fallen commander as well. There was nothing wrong with him obeying Raen. He turned to give Lady Keshadei a bow, and followed Raen into the hall. 

“[But why does consciousness fade during deep sleep early in the night?] You cannot say that consciousness fades because the brain shuts off. That's not the case. Scientists have long known that the brain remains active while we sleep, ... So what could be responsible?” 

"I know nothing of science, but God works in mysterious ways. I have noticed many are influenced by surroundings even in sleep. Dreams reflect what goes on around you, whether asleep or awake." 

“Some drifted off into what appeared to be a deep sleep, and one person sitting near me collapsed and fell off his bucket, not moving. It was clear that there was nothing I could do to help him. The last person I remember speaking to was …," He took up the bottle fading off his sentence, shook it and looked inside. "… who reassured me that if it was our time to go, then God's will would be fulfilled.” 

John's head nodded, face grave with his understanding of Corvus's words. "There is nothing more we can do for him then. God's will be done." 

Corvus held the bottle to his chest, cradling it close and spoke softly. “And I knew my vision of the garden of savage beauty had been a true vision. There was meaning in the world, yes, and laws, and inevitability, but they had only to do with the aesthetic and in this Savage Garden, these innocent ones belonged in the vampire's arms. A thousand other things can be said about the world, but only aesthetic principles can be verified, and these things alone remain the same.” 

John looked at Lady Keshadei and his mouth opened a second, pondering the words before he untied his tongue. "I have no idea what he means by that." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **March 16, 2012, 01:19:13 PM**

"Well I don't think singing is going to do any good here." She frowned as she sat back again, baffled at this unusual creature and fascinated at the same time. She was always one to want to know all she could about anything she hadn't seen before. She sat there, staring at Alucard with a sag to her usually stiff and straight posture. She hated, almost more than anything, to feel so helpless. Surely there was something they could do for this man. But between not really knowing much about him and the one person who apparently does only talking in riddles, she didn't know what to try! Maybe magic was the answer? Keshadei pondered for a time but soon dismissed the idea. She knew that there were some that have violent reactions to magic and she didn't wish to risk anything until she had more information. 

It wasn't until Richard started to walk away that she really realized that Raen was going somewhere. She frowns and turns to ask where she thought she was going but before she got the chance, Raen was already gone. her frown deepens and she deliberates with herself about finding out and staying here. Staying won out when Corvus started rambling again, "Influenced even in sleep? Surely there's something that we can do! If we can influence him in his sleep maybe we can snap him awake..." John's agreement that nothing could be done for Al unnerved her. What if Alucard never woke up from this? What would she do with him then? Was she destined to forever have a sleeping guest in her home? She shot to her feet and paced a few times, stopping in confusion at Corvus cradling the bottle. she looks at John with a shrug, "I have no idea, either. Innocent ones in the vampire's arms? Could he mean the people Richard said Alucard used to take care of?" She sighs, obviously frustrated, "I swear, this person's riddles are almost as frustrating as the problem itself!" 


	16. Chapter 16

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Corvus** on **April 10, 2012, 09:21:48 PM**

“All nature is but art, unknown to thee; All chance, direction, which thou canst not see; All discord, harmony not understood; All partial evil, universal good; And spite of pride, in erring reason's spite, One truth is clear, Whatever is, is right” 

"The gentleman does seem to have some confidence in Lord Alucard's safety in these matters." John said with a bit of a sigh. "Even though we can not tell what's happening within m'lord, it is for the best." 

“Riddle of destiny, who can show / What thy short visit meant, or know / What thy errand here below?” 

"M'lady..." He gave an odd look at Corvus, wondering if he had visions of the future. "With this new guest, are you still planning to stay a week at Castle MoonRae? I can have a hawk sent with your regrets or perhaps have your ladies prepare a lighter load for travel." 

“Faith is the very first thing you should pack in a hope chest” 

John smiled at Corvus's enthusiasm. "Will you be staying as well, Sir? Shall I prepare another room?"

“The lion and the calf will lay down together, but the calf won't get much sleep.” 

"Do inform me if you require your own sleeping quarters. I feel Lord Alucard will leave you little room." John clapped his hands once, to catch Keshadie's attention. "Now m'lady, if you'd kindly turn your back while I assist Lord Alucard out of his garments." 

"The undressed is vulgar," chimed in Corvus, "- the nude is pure." 

"Perhaps that small kindness will reach him in his sleep so he knows he is well cared for." 

"Every artist undresses his subject, whether human or still life. It is his business to find essences in surfaces," Corvus firmly affixed Al's hat and glasses to his head even as he shifted off the bed so John could work on undressing Al. "and what more attractive and challenging surface than the skin around a soul?" Had they known more of Al, they would have known his clothes were false garments. Corvus knew, but had little worry now of them attempting it, even if it was more like peeling Al's dead skin like an onion. 

"I would suggest a bath be drawn for most guests, m'lady, but in his unconscious state it is unwise." John shifted to the foot of the bed and pulled back the sheets enough to reach Al's boots. Examining them, he was amazed at their shiny state. "Although I believe his boots are cleaner than most of the manors residents." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **April 12, 2012, 09:57:39 AM**

"Would that I could read minds!" She grumbled irritably at John's remark about not being able to tell what's happening with Al. She leans back against the bedpost and crosses her arms, "Only vampire in this damnable empire that doesn't have that talent." This, of course, made her feel all the more helpless which made her all the more irritable and broody. She was lost in thought but she still vaguely heard the question addressed to her, "No, I can't go to the castle with him here like this." Her head shook as she spoke and suddenly her hand shot out and gestured at him as she looked up to John, "This man is a stranger! One that took out the entirety of the guard on the island, as a matter of fact, and now he's sleeping in my home! What if he woke when I was gone.. if he isn't trustworthy." 

She looked back again on Al's sleeping form. Something told her that she could, for the most part, trust him. Judging from what she had thus far seen, coupled with the little she had gotten from Richard, it was her assumption that, while Alucard apparently seemed to like to stir the pot, he was nevertheless an honorable man. But she didn't want to take her chances, "No, have a hawk sent, I'll be staying here." With that, she plopped her hands back into her lap with a flop. She ignored their continued conversation, staring at Al and still trying to see what she can figure out to help him, all with frustrating result. 

The sudden clap jolted her out of her stupor and her head shot up to look at John with a surprised look. She had to hand it to him, he was a soft man but when it came to propriety, he would have his way. She started to say something but instead her lips spread into an amused grin and she nodded, standing to her feet to move a few feet away with her back turned to the men. Her hands moved to cross over her chest, "A bath is unwise, true, but if nothing else he can be given a sponge bath if it becomes necessary." Her tone turned to one of playful amusement as she continued, "I have a feeling there is a girl or two here that wouldn't mind the task." She glanced back briefly at John's comment of his boots and tilts her head in amazement, "I suppose they can be stored under the bed then.. the rest of it, will need to be washed, I'm sure." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **April 12, 2012, 11:35:26 AM**

Raen waited outside the room but not so close to the door that anyone inside could listen. As Richard joined her, she began to move for the stairs. They needed to go outside, which meant going downstairs first. About halfway down, she glanced over her shoulder briefly at him and then forward again. "I think I know where the coffin is." She continued to walk without another word to Richard until they were outside and walking for the mausoleum. "I came upon him there." She pointed ahead when the buildings in shadows were becoming just that little more apparent. Or, at least, when she could see their forms easily enough against the shadows. "I think he's hidden it there." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Corvus** on **April 18, 2012, 08:28:58 PM**

Richard followed Raen out into the yard and back into the dark cemetery. Not having her night vision, he had picked up a torch so he could see. "Of course he hides It in a cemetery. How could anyone tell if it was his or not." The shadowy buildings where the nobles were buried slowly emerged from the darkness. "The oldest, biggest one of course," he said with a smile as they drew close. Being both servant and gentleman, Richard reached for the door and opened it. He bowed, "M'lady." 

"How in the world did you find him back here? You said he was singing? What was he singing?" Chatting away as he walked down the stairs. His torch lit the first room and all the posed occupants. "Holy Mother…" 

~*~ 

"…Of God!" John exclaimed as he pulled Alucard's pants down only to find the man wore absolutely no undergarments. After he had taken off the brilliantly white shirt and set it apart from the other reds the man seemed fond of, John had an inkling that the man might not have undergarments. Thick white socks had been under the man's boots 

"Humility is like underwear, essential, but indecent if it shows." Corvus looked down on Al with curiosity and meant to know when things need repair or replacement. "So they do. I've never seen a whiter or better kept pair in my life." John scanned over all the clothing for any signs that he should order repairs found none. "I will have these washed m'lady, and see about finding him something to wear." Turning his attention to Corvus, he asked, "Do you require anything m'lord? Shall I prepare a room for you?" 

"The lion and the calf will lay down together, but the calf won't get much sleep." 

John smiled and gave Corvus a bow. "You wish to share then. I will bring extra blankets." Turning to Kesha, he asked, "Anything else m'lady?"

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **April 26, 2012, 01:03:27 PM**

Without thinking and only on reflex, Keshadei turned around in surprise at John's exclamations. She had thought something might be suddenly wrong with the ailing man. Finding herself even more shocked and completely embarrassed, her eyes widened at the sight that met her eyes and she very quickly turned back around with her head going into her hand, "Oh for the love of the gods, John, did you really have to shout out like that?!" She wasn't sure if John noticed that she had turned.. she hoped he didn't. 

She lifted her head again with a sigh, still keeping her back to the goings on and her arms crossed at her chest. Impatiently she waited for the men's' exchange to be finished and she shook her head with a smile at John, "No, nothing else. Just make sure that he's covered well with the blankets so as not to give any of the girls a fright if they come in for any reason." She tried her best not to look in that direction as she had no idea if Alucard were covered or not, though she failed to completely keep her eyes from darting to their corners a few times. "Do you think he might need something to eat when he wakes? have the kitchen make something that doesn't need much handling, just in case. And I suppose have something brought for the calf, too" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **April 27, 2012, 10:18:55 PM**

Her pace was brisk and quick, all in the hopes that Kesha hadn't thought to send someone after them upon their exit. It was the purpose of asking only Richard to join her that no one discover anything. But of course, all of Richard's comments and blabbering could draw anyone's attention. Finally, she stopped walking close to the cemetery, turned and held up a finger to her lips to try and silence him. That did little to dissuade him once they were actually walking into the darkness of the mausoleum Al had chosen. It was at that point, Raen was sighing and shaking her head. "I was...exploring when I heard songs I recognized." The next two questions went unanswered. Well, the first was partially answered in her statement, and the second one she wasn't sure how to address. Thankfully, the sight awaiting them kept her from needing to answer. Raen was already beginning to check the coffins while Richard's torchlight lit over the display in the darkness. Raen barely offered any of it a glance, since she'd already seen it before. "Everyone is put to rest with something. A trinket, a treasure, anything dear to them. The one we are looking for, I think, should be empty. And since they..." She stopped long enough to point at the arranged corpses. "...are not in occupancy of their resting places, their coffins will hold those treasures only." At least, it was a logical thought, wasn't it? 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Corvus** on **May 03, 2012, 07:13:39 AM**

“The only trinket I’ve seen Al... ah Lord Alucard carry is the cross around his neck, which he bites on when he’s thinking... or … well when he is irritated.” Was she trying to distract him from the dead posed in the crypt? The bodies were too disturbing to ignore. ‘Did you do this? Or did...” Seeing the cards set up, he noticed the hand that was abandoned. “Al did this?” He spun, knowing it was true, and took in the whole scene. “Sick bastard,” he said with a tiny smile before realizing what he said before the Lady Raen. “Forgive me M’Lady! I, uh, hrmm...” Turning to the crypts he started moving the lids, looking behind pedestals and finding nothing. “There is no where to hide it up here.” Richard muttered and lifted his torch higher. Back and forth he turned, searching. “I have caught glimpses of it before, on M’lord’s back. Its 6 feet long, black lacquered wood. Or at least it looked like it. I can’t imagine he can actually fit inside it. The handles were a dark black metal.” He saw the passageway down to the next level and let out a long breath. “He wouldn’t hide it where he was playing.” Moving down to the lower level, Richard swept the torch back and forth over the second room. “This is more like a hiding place.” The shelves held bones, full bodied, dusty and cobwebbed in place. All except one was connected to its shelves by spider silk. Moving over to it, he lifted the torch close to the shelf. “Here we are,” came his soft confirmation. “Don’t open it... touching it will be bad enough." 

~*~

John bowed again and said, “Yes M’Lady.” Turning to look at Corvus he asked, “What shall I bring the two of you to eat?” 

‘Just as the soul sees but is not seen, so God sees but is not seen. Just as the soul feeds the body, so God gives food to the world.” He sat beside Al again and patted his head. “Far more indispensable then food for the physical body is spiritual nourishment for the soul. One can do without food for a considerable time, but a man of the spirit cannot exist for a single second without spiritual nourishment.” The strange man leaned back against the headboard and let out a sigh. “There resides in the definition of "humanity" the need to be something more than flesh and blood.” Corvus said pointing to himself. “If your child asks for bread, would you give him a stone? If he ask for fish, would you give him a serpent? If he ask for an egg, would you give him a scorpion?” 

“Eggs, fish and bread for your human body. As you wish, Sir.” He gave a final bow and went to fetch the food and fulfill his tasks. When he was in the privacy of the hallway, he shook himself slightly, before shaking his head in disbelief. “I find it hard to believe the man is human.” 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **May 08, 2012, 12:24:31 PM**

Keshadei was at such a loss that Corvus' behavior actually got a grin out of her. Perhaps it was because she could tell how wearied of it John had gotten or perhaps she had been fretting so much that she simply needed to smile or break. After John had left, she turned and moved towards the bed again, her arms crossed over her chest. In silence, she looked at the sleeping man, who looked for all the world a corpse. After a time, her eyes rose to look at Corvus, another unusual face in her home. She at on the edge of the bed with a sigh, "I admit that I can't always understand you.. perhaps I'm not as wise as John in riddles and prose. But I can sometimes." She looks to her hands, then back up again pointing at Al, "This man flaunted himself, broke into my home, took out my guard and now is collapsed in my guest room with no seeming hope of revival." She let out a breath, her frustration evident, "Is there nothing you've not said yet that can wake him? Anything we can do?" 

She leans back against the bedpost, watching them both. She tilts her head, as though thinking to herself. Where had Raen gone? Why had Richard left her alone with two strange men? To protect Raen, to be sure.. but still it seemed strange. Richard seemed to trust this Alucard person, even seemed to respect him. But she wasn't so sure.. especially after his little display. What was she to do with him now? 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **May 15, 2012, 11:22:39 PM**

She knew the cross Richard spoke of. Alucard had been gnawing on it when she first came upon him. Or rather, after they had acknowledged each other and he had thought to accuse her of wanting to taste him or of confusing him purposely. He had done both in a relatively short time. All she could do was nod in agreement; there was little to be commented about what had happened earlier, and it would only draw from the necessity of finding the coffin now. However, Richard's questioning thoughts of who could have arranged the bodies did draw some reaction from her. "I wouldn't do _this_." Indeed, if she were home, she might have partaken in some sort of stint which involved the dead as a prank, but doing it here, now, there wasn't any way. But again, Richard saved her from further remark on a single matter as he brought another up with his language. As she looked around at the abandoned coffins, she waved a hand at him. "I have heard far worse." Not that he really needed to know that. 

While Richard continued to think on the coffin's appearance and the times he'd seen it before, few as they may have been, Raen was working her way closer and closer to the passageway that would lead downward. It wasn't a conscious movement, but she was skimming along as each area was looked over up here. His commenting about Al not storing the coffin where he would play did make sense when it was actually uttered. No one ever hid something where they deemed to play; it was a terrible method for keeping something hidden. And so, she let Richard lead the way into the depths of the mausoleum, making mental notes of what she saw as they went. She only glanced here or there at some of the coffins, not touching a single one here. In fact, that was probably why Richard spotted Al's first; she didn't know truly what to look for, and she wasn't exactly getting close at this point. She wasn't "creeped" out by what she was seeing here. In fact, if the arranged bodies weren't bothering her now, there was little reason for anything in this room to do so, but it was more that constant reminder that they were here to do something. 

That didn't keep Raen from stepping up beside Richard when he had the coffin pointed out. She looked it over, not even reaching out to touch it at that moment. "That man seems to think this is important, so I'm sure Lord Alucard can forgive us for touching." Of course, it was an assumption, and she could be horrifically wrong. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Corvus** on **May 21, 2012, 09:03:59 PM**

“Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.”

Richard had gently moved the corpse and pulled the hidden coffin free. The words he read out loud and a intricate cross were engraved black on black, hiding the fact it was engraved. The coffin was exactly 6 feet long and since Richard knew the man was taller, he still wondered on the fit. "It's definitely his. Look at the cross above the words. It matches the one he wears." A little self consciously, Richard replaced the corpse. He unbuckled his longest strap and looped it through two of the handles, across the bottom of the coffin. Using the extensions, he was able to hold on and hoist it on his back. "Alright, M'lady. Back to the manor house." 

~*~

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” Corvus whispered onto Al's ear before sitting upright again. The sigh he exhaled was of disappointment. “Living in a constant chase after gain compels people to expend their spirit to the point of exhaustion.” Corvus looked at Kesha shaking his head. “I'm not sure if that had much to do with [the loss], but the tournament was tiring on both a mental and physical level.” He scratched his head In thought, trying to form the words that might reassure Keshadei. “It was like going to hell and back, ... All I have is the clothes on my back. And I been sleeping in them for three days.” Something in those words rang of what would happen not what had happened. “He sleeps and sleeps, and the days go by, ... I am willing and happy to look after him for the rest of my life, but he must do something. If only he would take up some occupation and stick to it. I know that he is unhappy inside but, alas, with his natural resilience these moments of self revelation dissipate and on go the years," It was said like advice. From a pocket, he pulled out a stick of chalk and a small slate. Fingers flew with the chalk and wrote out a quick phrase. "Will work for food." a little laugh came out of Corvus and he set the slate on Al's chest. “So I couldn't wait for him to come home, and after a couple days of sleep, he's going to have to start doing his honey-do list... ” He handed her the chalk but was quickly distracted by the door. John came back in with a tray full of the requested edibles, Corvus immediately perked up. 

“Relaxation means releasing all concern and tension and letting the natural order of life flow through one's being.” He hopped off the bed and hovered over John and the tray. Sagging little tidbits and popping them in his mouth, he followed the food until it was put on the side table. “We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone - but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy” Even said through mouthful of hastily stuffed food, he was asking them to trust him, Al, themselves and even Richard's instincts. “The key is to get to know people and trust them to be who they are. Instead, we trust people to be who we want them to be- and when they're not, we cry.” Half an egg in his mouth, Corvus “Trust that little voice in your head that says "Wouldn't it be interesting if.."; And then do it.” 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **May 22, 2012, 12:17:58 PM**

When Corvus leaned to whisper into Al's ear, Keshadei stood to her feet again in frustration at the situation. She started to pace the room once more, hesitating every now and again at the window to stare out. As Corvus spoke his riddles, Keshadei murmured a few times, repeating things he'd said in trying to figure out what he was saying, without being loud enough to interrupt him "tiring tournament.. taking out the guards." She leans against the wall beside the window, with her arms crossed and the fingers of one hand tapping against the other arm, "sleeping in them for three days... he'll sleep for three days?" Her head tilts in thought. 

At Corvus' little laugh, she turned to look over her shoulder. Despite herself, she couldn't help but grin a little herself at the sign that had been laid over Al's chest. She moved over to stand beside the bed, taking the chalk held out towards her which she idly started to twirl in her hands. She hardly even looked up when Corvus hopped away to peck at the food and still she murmured her mimicking of him, "unhappy inside.. trust.." After a time, she nods and turns away from the bed. Moving over towards here Corvus settles himself, she grins and takes a small bit of food from his tray, "Alright, Corvus. We'll wait.. and I do trust that you'll take care of him." She glances back to the bed then back again with a resolute look, "And that you'll let us know when he is awake... I think he has some explaining to do, hmm?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Lili** on **May 24, 2012, 11:12:05 PM**

They were caring for him, and Corvus was keeping watch. That was all Lili needed to know before she could comfortably change her view. With a parting glance into the pool at her brother, Lili said a quick little prayer for his health and return before she tapped the water again, this time directing it to show her the void. It was where Corvus had said to look, that he was apt to be trapped or lost there. 

At first, the pool was dark and empty. And then, a light began to filter through until it expanded to show a small opening the midst of a forest. Directly in her sight was the largest tree around. And laying at its base, half sucked down between the roots lay Alucard, unconscious and unmoving. He was sinking further and further in but at a very slow pace, so slow that it might not be immediately noticeable. She noticed because it wasn't normal, wasn't right. 

Touching the surface of the pool brought the view closer to him, so that she might see him better. Over the surface of the water she whispered, "Oh, brother mine, what has happened? You cannot give in so. Zeta, please don't take him away now."


	17. Chapter 17

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **May 25, 2012, 10:21:57 AM**

"Are you going to talk my ear off again? Did they seal me away? Or am I changing? I remember fighting for my place but I never did fight my predecessor. Did you hold him here while we fought it out?" A being greater than Al in size and presence sat before him. Her hair stretched out and filled the space around him. The strands would catch the air and float forming circulatory systems before his eyes. They ran out into the nothingness of the void where darkness hid them. It ran under him and became as soft as a bed for him. The only light in the area came from her skin and the work she did. She leaned away from her work at a loom to peer down at Al cushioned in her hair. The hair moved over him like a blanket and Al snuggled into its warmth like a child. She answered him with one word powerfully said that covered every question he asked. "No." The face he beheld was flawlessly smooth, without pores, hairs or freckles. Zeta held features that were sharp and angular without a cutting edge. It was a face Al though his own mother should have. Her hands didn't stop weaving her hair into the loom that seemed to hold every color at once. Al loved the clicking of the shuttle through the loom and its heartbeat rhythm. 

This was his God; his deity; he creator. The others saw her each in their own way, but Al never told them how he really saw her. He knew Shallen saw a writer and Mei saw a musician. Lucian saw a painter, Grey a mason and Amy a metal caster. From what he could gather from Mei's pet, even Corvus saw Zeta though Al guessed the strange little man saw a cook at a cauldron. Tame never shared what he saw because he knew Al lied to him about seeing her slaughtering thousands. His father told him when he could share the truth, so would he. 

"Why am I here then?" Al asked, remembering little in her presence other than his awe. 

"I have given you family and taken them away. For every gain there is loss. I have given you brothers and sisters and you have made children to please you. And yet still you feel unwhole. I give you a daughter of your own and you neglect to rejoice her because you fear her lost existence. Your gifts are balanced with your woes and yet you fear one because of the other. Your fear has grown too much, my fearless little blood. Where has my impervious soul gone? Do you wish to give up this life I have given you?" He was quiet. The thought of leaving the world to the next soul had crossed his mind. There was truth on her words. Every boon given to him accompanied a great loss. Isabeau had come to him and Rogue was taken away. Akayshah and Vincent were sent away and he found himself in a new place with new people to peek his interest. It was his own doing, true, but those same hairs that wrapped around him now could move him like a puppet. Zeta did not leave this void that was her home, but she reached others through it. It would have been easy for her to tug the thoughts if some tavern patron to mention Nordwood in his hearing. Only his entrance into her space was enough to direct him to where he found himself. She was obviously interested in him continuing on... was he? 

"You have thrown me into the midst of children, guards, a red head and a time traveler. What are you taking from me now? What great tragedy accompanies this boon?" 

Zeta smiles at him, the most brilliant and maddening all wrapped together. "You should not care, my fearless one. Whatever I take, sorrow is replaced with just as much joy." 

It scared him... it scared him to wake up and find what else he had lost after Hope's death. Did he want to know? Should he bury it deep and forget it for the wonders Zeta now threw at him? 

"No," he said and his sly smile returned. Al finally answered Zeta's earlier question. Even if she took the life of his sister that he held so dear, he knew another sister as warm and caring would find her place. "I'm not giving up yet." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **June 04, 2012, 09:55:52 PM**

The plea to Zeta drew awareness to the young 8 year old with blue hair. Her name merely mentioned always caught Zeta's attention. To it to have been spoken by one unknowing of Zeta's presence was a greater draw. The pool reflected the image of Al so clearly, it pulled the focus of the young girl. Around her, the room shifted and Lili was no longer before her own viewing pool, but before a spring that watered the great tree that consumed Al. 

The forest stretched out as far as the eye could see and only mist and fog took over beyond that. The sound of waves crashed in the distance behind Lili while a light rain drilled over the forest glade. Flowers bloomed under the shade of the great tree. From the left side came a beautiful woman with a pitcher in one hand. Her other hand was fisted. She worked in the semicircle of the glade: kneeling, rolling a seed from her fist to plant and watering it. The moment she stood, the seed would sprout. Underneath her feet, the planted ground rolled away like the waves at sea. The flowers and sprouts grew tall and formed the ever-expanding forest around them. 

Suddenly her attention was on Lili. "The weed in the roots... Should we replant it or pull it free?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Lili** on **June 05, 2012, 04:36:44 PM**

The whole time, her focus was on the image of her brother being swallowed by a tree. Lili didn't notice the water's surface taking on a rippling quality or that the sound of running water from a stream began to filter around her. The entire scenery change around her occurred without Lili even knowing. What drew her attention was the sound of the ground being worked, watered, and then something growing. With some hesitance, Lili looked up from the spring to look at the woman planting seeds and then everything else. She began to ask a question by saying the one word "Where...," but she was broken off as her eyes fell to lay upon Al's body being swallowed by the largest tree. 

Lili's hands flew to her mouth, but she just couldn't run to her brother's aid; it was as if she were frozen in place. And then the woman was speaking to her! Lili's gaze couldn't leave her brother, even as she heard herself saying, "He's my brother, not a weed..." But then her head was shaking. The decision was hers? Whatever she decided would affect him... "Pull him free," she said, sounding as sure as she could. And in the next instant, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Lili was turning to face the woman, saying again, "Pull him free..." 

...and then Lili was blinking. It wasn't the woman behind her, but her father. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but his mouth was moving. It was his hand on her shoulder. Confused, Lili turned her head to look around them and was immediately shocked to find herself back in her room! The stream was a viewing pool once again. Looking back to Tame, she could only ask, "Where did the woman go?" And what happened to her brother? She didn't ask the second aloud but did glance at the viewing pool only to find the surface void of any image, including her brother between the roots of a large tree in the midst of a forest... 


	18. Chapter 18

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **June 07, 2012, 12:42:02 PM**

"Lili" Tame squeezes her shoulder and called her name for yet another time. It had been three days since he came in and saw her staring into the pool unblinking and rainbow eyed. This time her eyes cleared. "Lili?" Tame's deep, marine blue eyes stared into Lili's, watching the change. "Oh thank Zeta, Lili. You've been sitting so still for 3 days." Letting go, he leaned back and ran a hand through his blue-black hair. "Ah, a woman eh? She was with you? Where were you? What were you doing?" 

~.~ 

Just as Al answered Zeta's question, he shifted to snuggled down into the pulsing warmth of her hair. He felt its weight Pressing down on him and though to take a little nap before he left. Zeta wouldn't have it, though. "Then get up!" 

The hair that wrapped around him yanked him upright. His limp body slumped forward and vertigo washed through him at the sudden lurch. Zeta wasn't in front of him, weaving, anymore. He looked instead with unblinking eyes that swirled with bright color at Corvus who sat on his chest. The birdman leaned in and rattled something in his hand as he stared back. "Late at night, when all the world is sleeping, I stay up and think of you..." 

"Look at us, said the violets blooming at her feet, all last winter we slept in the seeming death but at the right time God awakened us, and here we are to comfort you." It wasn't Al's voice that spoke through his lips. It was a soft feminine voice that echoed in his shell. Suddenly, Al's eyes cleared and he made a wincing face as he stretched and strained his back. An arm came up and pushed Corvus off his legs. The man tumbled to the other side of the bed. "What year is it?" He asked with a growl and slid his legs to the side of the bed, dropping his feet to the floor. His right hand pressed tightly to the side of his head. Perhaps because his feet made no noise when they hit the floor, Al saw only the sheet wrapped across his lap and thighs. He really hadn't looked at anything in the room. "Why the bloody Hell am I naked?" 

"Well enough for old folks to rise early," Corvus looked at the others in the room and shrugged, at a loss to explain Al's irritable rudeness. "because they have done so many mean things all their lives they can't sleep anyhow."

"Where the Hell my coffin?" 

"Measure your health by your sympathy with morning and spring. If there is no response in you to the awakening of nature—if the prospect of an early morning walk does not banish sleep, if the warble of the first bluebird does not thrill you—know that the morning and spring of your life are passed." With a grin, Corvus pointed the the box so close it was to the right, beside Al's head. It leaned propped up against the wall. "Thus may you feel your pulse." 

Al's right hand left his head and touched the coffin blindly. He ran his hand over the edge and held it. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **June 07, 2012, 06:09:07 PM**

Three days had passed since the arrival of Alucard and his immediate assault upon Keshadei's guard as well as his following lapse into unconsciousness. Raen had been to sit in his room for a few hours at a time, a couple times. She was especially present during the day hours should she be unable to sleep. For those three days, she'd lost interest in pulling her usual disappearing tricks for that long. It was why when Al began to stir, Raen was seated in a chair in the corner of the room, a book spread out across her lap, her legs tucked up onto the seat of the chair with her skirts falling over to hide the fact that she was sitting so unladylike. The book itself was one she'd read in her own time, but it still fairly new in this time. It was interesting to think she could still potentially meet the author, that he wasn't long dead like he was the first time she'd read it. 

As soon as Alucard woke and began to fuss about his lack of clothing and other such things, Raen was shaking her head without looking up at him; given that he was only covered by the blanket and sheet, it wasn't appropriate. "You are irritable, aren't you?" She turned a page. "You've only been out for three days. And you're naked because they thought it wise to wash your clothing." Raen chuckled at this, shaking her head again. "It caused quite a riot when they found your clothing had dissolved in the wash but managed to stain one of Keshadei's white gowns." Her head shook, still laughing. 

Raen was turning another page in the book, sighing softly. "Your friend there-" she said as she nodded toward Corvus without looking up, "was making a big fuss about your coffin. Richard and I found it and brought it to you. That seemed to calm him down." She shrugged one shoulder while continuing with her reading. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Lili** on **June 07, 2012, 07:05:39 PM**

She was still looking around her room when her father was thanking Zeta and he mentioned how long she'd been standing in her room, just staring into the pool. But that couldn't be! She was whispering to herself "No, no, no..." as she was still looking around her room. It just didn't make sense. And then Tame was asking about the woman. Lili looked at her father as he continued his questions, shaking her head. "A forest.... She was planting seeds and watering them." Lili looked back at her viewing pool. "Trees were growing all around us. And in one of them....Brother was in the roots." When Lili looked back at her father, she looked about ready to cry. "She called him a weed...and asked me what to do with him. He's not a weed..." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **June 11, 2012, 01:43:44 PM**

She was in her office, the heavy curtains not even yet pulled away from the windows. Over the past few days, she'd tried to get all her work done but she found herself often distracted. Keshadei knew that Raen was occasionally sitting in the room with their strange guest. She disliked that she was sometimes in there alone, not counting the riddle maker. But that room wasn't fitted with curtains heavy enough that Keshadei could stop her even if she had tried to during the day. Every so often, in the evenings, Kesha would pop in her head to check on him and Corvus, see if anything was needed & make sure it was obtained. The second day was when the dress had been brought to her attention. A laundry woman had come to find her in her small library, speaking softly as though she thought Keshadei would actually wring her neck for the dresses new look. She had calmly closed the book she had been reading, touched a hand to her temple and sighed, "that.. is a hideous shade of pink." She had sat there, staring at the dress in hopes that the shade, though uneven, may grow on her. But it didn't. She waved the woman off with instructions to try to dye it red, since it was well on her way to that shade anyway. 

Now, she was at her desk, trying to get more work done and the dress was laying across a chair across from her. She glanced up towards it, frowning, "He's more trouble than he's worth so far." It had been such a lovely dress. She was still trying to decide if its cut was suitable for the red shade that it now was. Once she had decided, the servants would take it either to her room or elsewhere to dispose of it or donate it. She sighs, shakes her head and looks back downwards at the letter she was reading, "More food for the academy.. blast but those kids can eat." 

A few hours went by before she leaned back, blinking her wearied eyes. After checking the timepiece sewn onto her bodice, she gets to her feet and makes her way out of the office, "A stretch would do me some good." Making her way to the guest room, she stops at the door with a soft knock. Normally Corvus would answer with some odd way of saying coming in, or Raen would if she were there. Occasionally, no one would if Corvus was asleep & Raen wasn't there. Ever the surprise behind this door. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **June 12, 2012, 05:20:22 AM**

The change was too sudden, too impersonal and all too real. Going from the warmth of Zeta's warm embrace to harsh cold reality set Al on edge. Yes, he was irritable and rightfully so but he wouldn't admit it. A growl rolled up Al's throat and his left hand came up to grip his temple. "What? WHat? WHAT!?" Al shouted in growing frustration at the light knocking. 

Corvus rolled over his shoulder and off the bed to land on his feet. Humming with a bouncy step, he went to the door and opened it with a broad smile. “'Tis the voice of the sluggard; I heard him complain, "You have wak'd me too soon, I must slumber again.” 

"Zeta, no! Not for a long time." Al's back was to the door. It was a broad back, free of any sign of flaw, and still quite bare. His left hand ground into his temple even as his right hand held fast to his coffin. Three days the girl had said. The coffin was close and Corvus was the only one there that had any clue of his need for it. He still lived. No one had come to claim him or seal him in the coffin. Al turned his head to look at it, leaning heavily on his left hand. 

“They come in contact on a day-to-day basis.” 

Al's head twisted around to look at Corvus over his shoulder. So the birdbrain had done it for him. That explained why he didn't awaken in the coffin at least. "Go home to Mei, stool pigeon. Leave me be." Thanks were not in order. Corvus had kept the others safe from him in his sleep. Corvus must have considered himself no longer needed, for he took flight, jumping up to hover in the air. Al's eyes widened in shock. At some point the bird had regained his wings. Corvus saluted them all. “Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.” Then he was gone with a pop. 

His eyes flickered to Kesha beyond the vanishing Corvus. Damn... he didn't have a single thought other than how red her hair was. It was too close to HER hair. Tearing his eyes away, he looked forward again telling himself it wasn't as red as Zeta's hair. "What?" he asked again, much calmer and quieter than the first time. The bottles of blood resting on a side table caught his eyes. They were for him. He might as well drink them. At least they might kill the pounding in his brain. "Girl," Al said to Raen, lifting a hand and waving his finger in her direction over to the bottles. "Get me one of those bottles over there." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Tame** on **June 12, 2012, 05:34:31 AM**

A kind smile was on Tame's face as he pulled Lili inti a comforting hug. "What did you tell her?" He knew it was an encounter with Zeta. Double from Lili's description. So Zeta had Al? That would explain why no one had seen him for a few months, since the war. 

The pop sounded again right behind Tame. Fabric fluttered and bare feet touched down on the floor. “There is no permanent love but that which has duty for its eldest brother; so that if one sleeps the other watches, and honor is safe” Corvus rested a hand on Tame's shoulder. “Our families are safe. My brother doesn't know if he has a house any more, but he'll be OK. There are so many people with so many problems..." He squeezed Tame's shoulder and pulled back. A smile, a salute and he popes out again. 

Tame squeezed Lili tight. "He's safe, Lili. He's safe. Al always could take care of himself." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **June 12, 2012, 05:44:39 AM**

While Al grumbled on and Corvus spoke his riddles, Raen didn't budge at all except to turn the page once or twice. Of course, she heard Kesha's knocking, but Al's damnable shouting kept her from getting her warning out in time. A shake of the head, another page turned in the book, and then she gave warning to the door as Corvus opened it. "He's grumpy!" Her head was still shaking even as Corvus was finishing talking and soon enough leaving them as three in the room. Her head shook again while she reread a line on the page that she managed to misread. 

She did pause in her reading without looking up when Al addressed her as "girl." His lack of grace in his request for a bottle of blood had her shaking her head. She very simply gnawed on her lower lip a second, finished reading the page she was currently on, turned the page then shrugged her shoulders. "Get it yourself." Okay, so it wasn't the best thing to say with Keshadei present; it very simply wasn't polite, and the man had just come to, but Raen wanted to test something. He was bold enough to take out the guard when he first arrived. And he was too damn irritable. Would he walk entirely naked to get the bottle himself if she simply refused? "Besides, my name isn't girl." She turned the page. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Lili** on **June 12, 2012, 05:59:13 AM**

"He's not a weed," she was saying again even as Tame was drawing her into a hug. Lili was resting her head against his chest given that was about as high as she reached. The tears were still threatening to fall, but she held them at bay still. "I told her to pull him free..." she whispered against his chest, rocking her head back and forth a couple times. "Brother isn't a weed." 

The pop in the air behind her father was noticed, but she was comfortable enough not to react to it. Corvus had helped with Al, had helped her to help him. She listened as he spoke, smiling right then. Even as Tame reassured her once Corvus was gone again, she was smiling. She had helped her brother, and he was safe as her father was telling her. "I was scared..." 


	19. Chapter 19

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Keshadei** on **June 12, 2012, 08:01:26 AM**

The shouting startled her. Not because of it being so sudden and so loud but because it wasn't either of the two voices she expected to hear. She stared at the door, then it opened with a called out warning and Corvus was there smiling at her, "He's awake?" At another complaining comment, she looked past Corvus, over his head and her eyes widened. Admittedly, she should have looked away but she found herself unable to do so in that instant. Her lips were moving, as though she were trying to say something sensible but no sound was coming from them. Then Al turned to look at Corvus & Keshadei's gaze shot away, realizing just what she was doing. How horrid of her, gods help her she was bloody well staring at him! She is a grown woman, and that is hardly the first man she's ever seen nude, surely she was better than to stare! She closed her eyes for a moment, lightly scolding herself while that part in the back of her mind said 'screw it, you're a female why not stare at an obviously well made male?' She took a deep breath to chase away the redness to her cheeks and lifted her head up again, though her eyes remained elsewhere. 

She did jump back a bit when Corvus was suddenly hovering in the air. She watched him, her lips agape and then blinked when he was suddenly gone, "Are all your friends so incredibly odd, Alucard?" Her attention was back into the room, looking everywhere but at him. The room would need tidying, perhaps something to eat for Al.. things went over and over in her head to force out thoughts about what she'd seen. Damn being a female sometimes! She frowns at him, "You don't have to be so rude. We could have just damned well left you where you were rather than keep a stranger in our home." She stepped into the room, closing the door behind her lest more of her servants see things they really shouldn't. Namely Raen, ignoring the fact that Kesha was there, was in a room with a naked man. Keshadei looked at Raen, shocked..yet glad that her actions gave her something more direct to look at, "Raen! I know he shouldn't address you like that but you can also be more cordial!" 

She knew what Raen was doing. Raen had a delight for pushing people and Keshadei wouldn't have it this time. She told herself it was because she didn't want Alucard parading around in front of Raen without a stitch on but it was also because she didn't think she could keep her eyes averted if he did so. Because of that, she went forward herself, adopting an air of arrogance to hide her being flustered. She roughly picks up one of the bottles and holds it out towards him at arms length, her head turned in a completely different direction, "Here! and for Raen's sake would you at -least- have some decency and stay under the damn sheets until there's something more appropriate for you brought?" Sure.. Raen's sake, and that's all.

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **June 15, 2012, 02:44:56 PM**

He felt the blood get closer, along with Kesha, but he barely looked up before he reached out a long left arm and grabbed it. When he lifted his head, he brought the bottle up to his mouth, bit the cork and pulled it out. Sucking in a lung full of air through his nose, Al turned his head and launched the cork across the room. The bottle was tipped back with his head and drained with no signs of swallowing. Al leaned back on his elbows looking at the bottle now resting on the bed. "Hmm interesting. Quite a calm fellow. I might have to find this individual and enjoy his presence." Half sprawled on the bed he licked is lips with a smack as if savoring the blood down to the last fleeting flavor. He looked up at them both took the corner of the sheet that threatened to slid off his right leg and tucked it under his right hip. "There you go," Al said now covered from the waist down only. "I heard about my clothes. Such a shame. Finely crafted, there were. Where ever shall you find replacements? I feel my boots under the bed, at least." He looked over his shoulder to where his hat was discarded by Corvus. "My hat looks a bit crumpled by the bird-brain. You're right about him being odd." He looked at the empty bottle again turning it and wishing there was more of that particular sampling. More there was, however, on the table. A sly smile stayed on his face as he set the empty bottle on the floor and extended his hand towards the table. A second bottle flew to his hand where he repeated the cork projectile technique. "Do you really think there is someone in your domain with clothes that will fit me?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Raen** on **June 20, 2012, 09:35:19 AM**

BIG NOTE! KESHA IS A BRAT! >.>

Raen's head bent lower to the book as her shoulders raised up, basically minimizing the appearance of her neck at all when Kesha scolded her for her choice in response to Alucard requesting a bottle of blood. She wasn't sorry, really, but it still wasn't a great thing to be yelled at for rudeness. After a moment, she was once more sitting up, though her nose remained in the book as it were, a physical refusal to look at him or Kesha. She wasn't reading at this point, but she wasn't about to lift her gaze and maybe see something she shouldn't. Especially since Kesha already was scolding _him_ about staying under the sheets. She did begin to read again after another moment passed. It was soon to be interrupted as the second cork Al spat out launched across the room to the mirror and rebounded off....making its way to Raen's forehead. As it bounced to the floor, Raen was blinking and then lifting her head. She glared at Al a moment before shaking her head. He wanted clothes, huh? Raen repositioned herself, setting her feet onto the floor, bare as they were. She was then closing the book on her lap and shaking her head. As she stood, she kicked the cork away with her toe before walking around the bed and across the room toward the door. "I'll see what I can find for you." There was the presence of a smirk as she was moving toward the door, though whether he or Kesha could see it was another thing. As far as she knew, there was only one person who had a height similar to Al's. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Keshadei** on **June 20, 2012, 01:03:06 PM**

BITE NOTE! BITE MEH!!! >.>

she didn't want to turn her head back while he was downing the bottle she had given him. Judging from his behavior so far, it was very likely that he was taking his sweet time in covering himself just because he could. So she did what she could to keep her gaze averted while keeping herself blocking Raen's immediate view of Alucard. She did see when the cork bounced off of Raen's head and had to force down a laugh at the site, especially at Raen's expression after it. Using a grumble to hide the hint of laughter, she turned and picked the cork up from the floor. By this time, she knew he was covered and had no problem with facing him. Or, she should say, not as much a problem. She tossed the cork at him, hoping to have it bounce off either his head, as it had with Raen, or his chest, "You are a guest in my home! Have some more manners than to throw about things like that! While you are here, you'll show some decent respect for my home!"

"yes, the clothes were a bit of a problem." She frowns, again remembering the poor laundress' reaction. Out of reflex, she looked up when he asked his final question. It caused her to look at him, only half covered, to consider his size. She flushed a little and all she could make out was, "Um.." before she used Raen as her excuse to look away with a nod, "I guess Raen has an idea?" Then she frowns, walks over and picks up the second cork, throwing it at him just as she had done the first, "barbarian!" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **June 21, 2012, 11:53:21 AM**

As the cork flew towards him, his eyes riveted to it and he shifted his head to meet it. He butted it off like it was a hacky-sack, then continued to keep it bouncing. Eyes staying on the cork, Al bounced it off his elbow, the back of his wrist and each finger in turn. "Yes, Ma'am." Al said with a smirk on his face that threatened to burst laughter forth. "I'll keep my respect for your home in mind and keep from damaging it from flying objects." Still juggling the one cork he gave a slight frown. "I don't think my aim was at its best when I kicked the cannon ball away from the tower. It should have flown clear. I can compensate you for the repairs. Consider my first month of captains pay yours." Al put the bottle down with his left hand. He was intrigued by the girl's announcement that she would get him clothes. Switching the cork from one hand to the other with another bounce off his forehead, Al freed his right hand. "I will graciously consider whatever clothing she deems to bring me." As Kesha looked away, Al reached out and pulled his glasses out of the air from where Corvus had left them under his hat. A flick of his wrist opened them and he put them on. The sight of her blush was far to interesting not to have a deeper look. "I will have to take a look where the laundry water was dumped as well just to make sure there are no other..." His right hand shot up to catch the second cork that flew a bit high of his head. A frown was on his face again at how close she managed to hit his coffin. To think it had been left out, in plain sight, where anyone could damage it... 

"I've heard a few lives back, I was a real barbarian. Be glad he's not in charge." Tossing the second cork into his bouncing action, Al smiled again though it was false. "Do you require all your men to be in uniform?" Yes, he was planning to stay right where Zeta had put him. the smile became real again. "Or do you prefer me out of uniform?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Keshadei** on **June 21, 2012, 03:14:17 PM**

She stared at him with astonishment as he started bouncing the cork around. Not only was she surprised that he could do it in the first place but she was also shocked that he would do it at all instead of taking his scolding like any other normal person. As he made the comment regarding the cannonball, her hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she sighs, "The repairs are underway, I think I'll just accept it not happening again over taking your pay." Nevermind that she didn't dispute the comment made about his 'captains pay'. She had to admit, he did take out her guard and she did make a sort of deal with him. So she'd already worked towards putting him on the books officially, despite her better judgement. 

"I wouldn't be too hasty about accepting it, whenever Raen takes on an air like that, she'd got something up her sleeves." She chuckles, though and turns back towards Alucard, looking more past him and over his head than actually at him as often as she could. Kesha knew that to be rather rude of her, but considering the circumstances of his attire, he could deal with it. She settled her hands into fists, burying them into the fabric of her skirts as one foot impatiently taps, "I wish she'd hurry up, though." A shoulder lifts in a disinterested shrug, "I'm sure the laundry water was probably used in the vegetable gardens or at least nearby it. some of the plants like it, oddly enough." 

Rolling her eyes at his barbarian comment, she looks directly at him while he tossed the second cork into play, "At least a barbarian is easier to deal with, no wondering about their motives." She watched the corks for a time before she heard his final question and her face actually paled out of shock of what he asked. For what seemed like the hundredth time just this evening, her lips moved though no sound came from them as she was taken aback by it. She put a hand to her forehead, shaking her head then pushing her fingers into her hair with a sound of frustration, "You are incorrigible!"


	20. Chapter 20

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **June 21, 2012, 09:02:00 PM**

Both corks were stopped, plucked out of the air, caught and held on either side of his middle finger. "It was dumped in the garden?" There was disbelief in his voice. His brow furrowed as he brought his hand holding the corks to his chin. Al's eyes were not on Keshadei. "That can't be good." 

Suddenly he looked up. "There aren't any pumpkins growing right now are there. Nasty things they are when they go rabid." Al extended his hand to stay any worry his words might have caused. " Not dangerous mind you. They never developed teeth. Just nasty... its a waste of good melon flesh for sure." Swirling his hand in front of his body like he was stirring a pot, he said, "Rolling around trying to trip people. Making that ridiculous noise like someone trying to growl and blow through their lips at the same time." Al pursed his lips like he would demonstrate but broke into a deep chuckling smile instead. It vanished when he looked up at her again. All too seriously, he said, "No really... I should go investigate..." he smiled again. "As soon as I get some clothes." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **June 25, 2012, 10:35:49 AM**

The moment Raen had left the room, she was heading for the downstairs and then out the door. Her destination was the gardens. Or the relative area of the gardens. If asked by any servants whether Alucard had awaken on her way to the door, she nodded but said nothing at all. She was the door and quickly moving for the garden, mostly forgetting she wasn't wearing shoes. Within moments, she was the little shack in the gardens where the gardener, Big Bertha, lived. At the door there, Raen knocked once and listened. With thanks to the listening, she could hear Berth, but it wasn't from inside. Apparently there was some fuss going on somewhere in the gardens. Raen glanced in the direction briefly before shaking her head and pushing the door open to the little shack. It wasn't difficult to find the little bit of space kept for sleeping space. Within moments, Raen was digging through the small chest for clothing. Big Bertha was the only person on the Isle that would have anything that might fit Alucard. 

It was probably a good fifteen minutes later that Raen was reentering the main house and going upstairs. At Alucard's room, she knocked briefly before stepping inside, the clothing folded in her arms. She had, once again, said nothing to anyone. As she reentered into the room, after having waited for someone to say something, she walked closer to the bed, and laid out the folded clothing. "I think this will fit you." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **July 03, 2012, 10:13:29 AM**

"You'll bloody well have some clothes soon enough! we can't very well have you staying in this.." she waves a hand back and forth in Al's general direction while trying to keep her eyes elsewhere, "State of undress while there is a young lady in the house." Out of the need of something to do, Keshadei started to pace the room, occasionally looking towards the doorway for Raen or anyone to return with clothing, while replying to the previous question, "And no, there aren't any pumpkins, its not the right season for that." She took in a breath while she thought on what would be in the gardens, "Mostly right now its cabbages and things of that nature. Certainly nothing with any teeth!" She said it in a exasperated tone, annoyed at his seeming normal way of referring to impossible things. 

When the door opened again, Kesha had hoped it to be John. She'd hoped Raen had done the sensible thing and had asked the servants to obtain the necessary clothing. Unfortunately, it was Raen toting an armful of unidentifiable and...well used.. clothing. Once they were laid upon the bed, Keshadei inclined her head to get a proper look. Creasing her brows, she looks baffled. They were clean clothes, but they smelled of turned earth, vegetables and flowers. Looking at Raen, she blinked at the girl, a hint of amusement in her eyes, "Are those the gardeners clothes? Honestly?" She had to keep herself from chuckling a bit as she shook her head, "That's not going to go over well..." She steps away from the bed then, heading towards the door which she opened and pointed out, "Out, girl. There's no way either of us are staying in here whilst he dresses." She looks over Raen at Alucard with a quite serious expression, "Shall I sent John to help you dress?" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **July 05, 2012, 01:34:22 PM**

Al's smile slowly spread into a wide smile at Kesha's insistence that he dress because of Raen's presence. The numerous students were not included in her voiced worries though he suspected they existed. She didn't include the servants although she might have earlier, he wasn't quite sure. That she didn't say 'ladies' to include herself made him chuckle low to accompany his smile. "I guess you do prefer me out of uniform. If you didn't, I suspect there would be tailors in here measuring me already." 

He watched her avoiding a good look at him. It was almost too easy to cause this bit of mischief. But his curiosity was up with Raen's idea of getting him clothes still, so he let it drag on. The pumpkin statement did cause him to think more on where he was. Back at the castle, they had begun to plan a few all hallows eve activities. Shouldn't it be September? And shouldn't the pumpkins be half grown? "Thorns," he said offhand to her teeth comment. "Plants tend to have thorns and other prickly protrusions."

Raen's return caught his attention. Al's eyebrow lifted at the bundle dropped beside him. "Gardener eh?" Had the girl been listening before she went to find clothes? "How interesting... I was just talking about visiting the garden. I can thank the lender personally!" He pulled the pile closer and draped it over his torso as he stood to face the exiting pair. It covered him from neck to toes without the tiniest bit of skin showing. "Great Zeta! She's huge! I simply must meet this person." He looked up at the two and asked before they left. "What do you think, honestly? I've never worn anything but red. Does the color suit me? What does it do for my complexion?" 

His head dipped down, partial hiding his grin as he examined the color. "I seems a bit too pale and monotone to me." As if his own color palette of clothing differed. Behind the enveloping folds of the dress, Al had already reformed his clothing and drew on the cast off shoes to his feet without moving. The shades were all red but in his mind each piece was a different color of red all complimenting each other. Whatever he was contemplating was decided with a flick of his wrist that pulled the dress away from his body like a magician revealing what was hidden. He'd teased the poor woman enough for the moment. "No, no need for Johns assistance. This will not do. I am too use to a nice shade of red." Folding the dress with the full stretch of his arms as he walked, Al headed strait towards the door. 

"Come! Let us return these borrowed..." He looked at Raen with a grin and amended his words to, "Though more likely appropriated, clothes to their owner. I need to check the garden anyway." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **July 11, 2012, 09:39:39 AM**

She gasped and stammered at his initial statements. She raised a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose between two fingers, "Are you always this infuriating?" To be honest, she wasn't furious. She was flustered, which made her nervous, which made her defensive.. which could often be misunderstood by others as furious. She lifted her head again and shook it, "The tailors.. are busy. Lots of people on this island, after all." She stood then, her hand on the knob of the door as she held it open. Kesha watched as Alucard held the clothing up to himself and couldn't help but openly laugh. She was trying not to, knowing who the gardener was, but his exclamation got the better of her, "Our gardeners does well at keeping various scavengers out of the gardens." She meant, of course, that the woman's size was intimidating to both man & beast alike. Kesha turned to try to leave, her hand on Raen's back to gently lead her out before she turned back yet again at the next question, "Red? Perhaps I should have brought you my newly reddened dress, though it wouldn't be wide enough for you." She purses her lips in a smirk and just decided to stand there in the doorway with her hands crossed over herself, "Monotone it may be, but beggars can't be choosers, so they say." Keshadei blinked, jumping back a little at Alucard's sudden jerking movement with the dress. Her lips parted in a small, silent gasp of bewilderment and she stood there, staring at him with her head cocked to the side. Moving aside as Al decided to leave the room, Kesha almost drew into herself, her arms rising to her chest and her feet moving back a few paces as though she didn't want any part of his clothing touching her as he past by until she knew just what the hell had just happened. Keshadei looked at Raen, her eyebrows up with a 'what just happened?' expression before she finally shakes herself out of it and follows behind him, "The garden? Whatever for? There's nothing wrong with the garden!" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **July 12, 2012, 08:28:34 AM**

Once the bundle of clothing had been laid next to him, Raen had backed away by a few steps. She wasn't intending to remain as he dressed, but she did want to see and hear reactions to what she'd brought. Kesha's partial shock and amusement at what she brought had Raen nodding very simply. "The gardener's the only one around with clothing that might fit him." It was sense enough, wasn't it? It wasn't all that much longer before Raen was walking toward the door, with or without being told to go. 

She wasn't even out the door completely when Al was holding the dress up to himself and asking their opinions on the color and everything else. She was smirking just the slightest bit while Kesha attempted answers. It all had Raen chuckling a little...until the moment that Al tore the dress away from himself with a flourish...to reveal his clothing beneath. Her mouth didn't drop open like Kesha's, but her eyes did widen. She hadn't seen it for herself before...but she had heard of people with skin that could shift and change itself into a clothing-like layer. The things they put into books of biology...and what old friends used to swear they'd seen once before. Just the little thought on both of those instances had Raen's head shaking slow and with a sigh before she was looking at Kesha. She only just minimally caught the look on Kesha's face before it disappeared, which resulted in only a shrug from Raen. She was then moving to follow both Al and Kesha. To Kesha's insistence nothing was wrong in the garden, Raen's head shook again as she started, "I don't think that's true. The gardener was having a fit about something in the garden." She shrugged a quick little shoulder. "I didn't see what it was, but she was making a racket about something. It's why I didn't ask about the clothing..."


	21. Chapter 21

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Negash** on **July 25, 2012, 09:56:36 PM**

Negash landed in the garden, still scratching his head over his new orders. "This has to be a joke." Looking up from the strange list of letter strings... they surely weren't proper names..., Negash looked across the garden to a large human attacking the ground with a hoe. That had to be his final destination, although there was only one person present. There was clearly more than one on his list. "Unless there will be a sudden attack in the garden...," he muttered quietly as he approached the gardener. "It's happened before." Looking again at the list of unusual names, Negash turned the list over to see if he had it backwards. A shake of his head indicated he had it right the first time. 

"Get out of the garden, you lazy cur." Shouted Bertha as she swung a hoe towards Negash's head. "I've got enough trouble without you guards trying to sneak a snack before dinnertime." 

He ducked, the only thing he could do, and held up his hands complacently. It wasn't completely unusual for a mortal to see him. Since she saw him as a guard, he knew his nature was hidden from her. His eyes were still wide and brows lifted by her reaction though. Negash had taken her for a man, obviously a mistake in gender no matter how big she was. "Calm thyself, gently lady." 

"And why should she?" Al had lead the way to the garden, humming strange foreign tunes as he walked. "Bertha's not in real danger, is she, reaper?" 

Negash frowned and glanced at the list in his upturned hands. "No, elemental, though I am here to work." Sparing a glance away from Bertha, he added reassuringly. "There is no Bertha on my list."

"This the new master guard, M'lady Keshadei?" Bertha asked when she saw her. "He bring this new man with him? Tell him to keep better manners in his men and the garden ain't their personal larder." Negash turned abruptly at the ladies name and a wide grin split his face. "Lady Keshadie!" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **July 26, 2012, 12:57:15 PM**

"What's so important about the gardens?!" She was following behind Alucard, obviously confused and bewildered. This man had just been unconscious in her home for days and now he was suddenly up and moving as though nothing had happened... and insisted on visiting the gardens. She had a feeling this wasn't just a social sightseeing of the grounds and so she was baffled as to what was going on. "Bertha was probably just chasing someone out of them like she always does. The woman doesn't even let her own family in the gardens before harvest time!" 

As they got closer to their intended destination, she heard Bertha shouting over Alucard's irritating humming. It was clear that Bertha was, in fact, chasing someone out.. at least that's what she was doing by the time they'd reached it. She and Raen were a few good yards behind Alucard, so he reached the garden gates first. Keshadei hesitated, her back tingling as though a cool breeze had just blown over her. She frowns slightly, "divine.. what?" She cocks her head and continues to walk. Generally, she only gets that odd sensation in the presence of something related to the divine. This sensation was weak, but it was there. It came from being a summoner of demons. The divine wasn't generally her best friend as a general rule & so the markings on her back was good enough to her to give her warning. 

As she reached the gardens, her first priority was Bertha's question and she nods slowly, still obviously confused by Al's behavior, "I.. well yes, it is." It was her inquiry as to the new man that had Keshadei turning to see where she motioned. Seeing Negash standing in the middle of the garden, her face brightened and she beamed a smile. Though it was immediately followed by a faint blush as she recalled her behavior upon having met him not too long ago. She hadn't yet apologized for that.. it was her bad habit of getting into such silly behaviors when she was around Malraiya. Nevertheless, she was pleased to see him, "Negash!" She lifted her skirts a few inches, starting towards him and taking very great care where she stepped, lest she face Bertha's wrath. Suddenly she stopped, blinking with one foot to either side of a row of vegetables, "Wait.. why are you here..?" She had remembered his work, what he did. He was Malraiya's brother, she recalled and she knew what Mal was..or was meant to be. Was he here for one of them? Her head turned to briefly look to Raen then back again, "it can't be her.." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **August 05, 2012, 10:49:25 AM**

Raen followed Al, walking beside Kesha. Well, walking as much as she could walk when she was practically running. And she wasn't nearly as dignified as Keshadei and would likely break into a run if it suited her. For the moment, it was working. And then they were coming into the garden. 

The moment her eyes fell onto the strange man standing in the garden talking with Bertha, a slight panic rose as she remembered specifically the dress held in Al's hands. It was one thing for Bertha to recognize her dress in Al's possession, but she wouldn't be too happy to recount why he had it with some stranger around. Even if Kesha seemed to know him... 

Not entirely sure how she'd explain the action if someone questioned it, Raen was quick to step past Kesha and toward Al. She even stepped to his side and reached out to snatch the dress from his hand before it can be seen. Just as her fingers brush the fabric, however, she felt something strange wrapping around one of her ankles a couple of times. Just the feel of it was enough to cause her to shriek in shock... 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **September 05, 2012, 03:21:51 PM**

"Are you, now?" Al asked and leaned in to look at the list. "hmmm." 

"One of the first things I said and nothing responded," Negash said laughingly before pointing at one name at the top. "It looks like Burble or Guuurrrkles." A quick look around showed no signs of a responsive soul, though the gardener was giving him odd looks. 

"You dolts get out of the turnips!" Bertha complained. "Lady Keshadei," when her sharp eyes turned she watched Kesha's progress and warned gently, "You be careful crossin' them rows." 

"Turnips grow underground." Al said as he lifted a foot to insure he wasn't standing on something already harvested. The boot dropped again with a thud. When Al's head lifted again, he instructed the reaper to, "try it like this." His lips parted slightly and a sound came out of his through like a man drowning in his own blood. 

The dress was let go when Raen came close enough to snatch it away from him. He chuckled and multiple responses were heard. Whether from his pronunciation or his laugh it was hard to tell. The thick foliage of the back rows moved. That fleeting movement that all of them saw was confirmed by Raen's shriek. 

"Why you little!" Bertha started before bringing her hoe down to chop at the vines twisting and writhing up and around the young ward's leg. It made one vine draw back then grab at Bertha's hoe in a second tug-o war. "Uuuurre! Aren't you," Bertha tugged and yanked trying to free her hoe, "suppose to be guarding us!?" 

Al's eyebrow lifted in question. More view had lifted and were slapping at the gardener. "From what? Angry vegetation? It's not my fault you're cutting their roots." Besides, you said to stay out of your turnips." 

"Those ain't turnips. They're cabbages gone bad!" Bertha heaved with an effort and got her hoe free. With a high swing, the hoe came down to hack the bulbous cabbage head that followed the vines out of the patch. 

"Guuurglous," rolled out of Negash's throat as he knelt next to the half a head by his feet. He stabbed at the leafy green with his knife and pulled free the invisible soul. "What do you know... it worked." 

A half dozen more crawled out of the bushes, gurgling and burbling. They gnawed on the first thing they came in contact with, toothless and gummy. A few found the taste of their victims wasn't to their liking and moved on. Those that made it to Al gnawed and stayed. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **September 06, 2012, 01:24:38 PM**

Keshadei followed Alucard's suit & leaned in to look at the list. Immediately, her face contorted with an odd sort of confusion, "What the hell kind of name is that?!" It looked to her little more than some letters tossed together with no pattern to them. She followed Negash's gaze towards the garden which caused her to notice Bertha's odd look. She cleared her throat and gave the gardener a wide smile meant to ease her, "Don't worry, we'll be out of the garden very shortly. I'm being careful" Keshadei was the lady of the island.. but even she knew better than to ruin anything in Bertha's garden. Even Lady Nordwood stepped lightly & very carefully within the garden walls. Keshadei lifted her skirts a few inches higher, until even her calves were showing so Bertha could see where she was stepping. 

Still standing there, all but straddling one of the rows, Keshadei looked at Alucard as though he had gone insane. Which, of course, was a look that was very commonly seen going from her to Al already, "What a horrible sound. You really think that's someone's name?!" Keshadei turned to look over her shoulder at the foliage that moved behind them at the back of the garden, immediately switching her gaze towards Raen with the girls shriek, "What is it?" She dropped her skirts in a shocked motion, her mouth even dropping open at the sight of Bertha attacking the plants...which were trying to grab Raen. As Bertha was scolding Alucard, Keshadei was murmuring, "What the hell..?" Something rarely heard from the Lady.

During Alucard's rebuttal, Keshadei turned to look at Negash with the same stupid shock on her face, "..you're here for the turnips?" Before she could ask further questions, Keshadei suddenly seconded Raen & shrieked while suddenly jerking away from the row she'd been standing over. Pulling up her skirts again so she can see her feet... and the ground around it.. Keshadei roughly kicks one of the vegetables off of her ankle. 'Cabbages gone bad..' Bertha's words caught Keshadei for a moment in thought and she recalled Alucard's sudden unease about the water having been used in the garden. With an irritated growl, Keshadei eyed Al, "Oh you've GOT to be kidding me?! Seriously?" 

After a few moments, she figured out that most of the vegetation wasn't going to actually hurt her. Generally, it nibbled.. which kind of tickled, actually.. then moved along. Although, she still did every now and then give one of them a kick to make herself feel better, "What the hell are we supposed to do about this, Alucard?!" She noticed Negash dipping down beside a halved cabbage, doing his job as Keshadei watched, dumbfounded. The vegetables have souls.. Keshadei brought up her hand to the bridge of her nose and pinched, "this isn't happening. This isn't happening." She sighs, half praying that when she opens her eyes again, everything will have been her imagination. Of course that wasn't the case, "I cant just set fire to the whole damn garden, there are still a few living people on this damn island that depend on it!" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **September 23, 2012, 08:48:44 PM**

She had caught the dress only because Al had released it to her in the moment she went to grab for it. If he'd held on a moment longer, it would've been dropped to the ground while she shrieked. Instead, she was crushing the dress in a balled fist as she tugged at her skirt, pulling it up enough that she could get a look at what was grabbing onto her leg...at the same time that Bertha was bringing the hoe down on a.... "A cabbage?" she heard herself asking in another shriek. She was even trying to back away...or step away, anything so as not to disturb what plants didn't seem to be on the attack while avoiding those that were. She couldn't even look to Kesha or Al or even Bertha or the stranger. She was unarmed against the beastly vegetation, as strange a thought as that could possibly be. At least Bertha had the hoe...and Al wasn't seeming to bother at all with the cabbages nibbling on him. Kesha she could hear struggling, but Raen was continuing to try and keep out of the reach of the vegetation, even stomping on any reaching vines that came her way. 

The stomping could only do so much. In fact, it kept her attention focused at what was coming at her...rather than what was coming from behind. Just before she could lift her foot to stomp again, she felt the winding, grabbing vines of a cabbage plant wrapping around her ankle again. She whipped about, pulling her skirts up just that little bit higher and trying to kick the thing off. She even gave a shout of "Get off!" Instead of the damned thing letting go of her, however, the most incredible, scary thing occurred. It literally burst into flames. The cabbage made the most sickening screeching noise as its vines recoiled from around her leg as it burned to...death. Raen stared in wide-eyed shock, backing a couple of steps away. It didn't just happen. That couldn't have happened. She found herself looking toward Al and the others before back to the burning plant. It was a short respite, however, before another couple seemed to be coming at her; none of the cabbage had managed to get their little fangs on her yet. She wasn't about to let them either, yet a second shout aimed at the two approaching heads didn't do a single thing in the way of setting a fire. It was a fluke. It wasn't her. It had to be something else... 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 02, 2012, 12:29:58 PM**

Al lifted his head to the sky, eyes rolling, and gave a great sign. "WE have to do something? You really mean..." His head came down to stare at Kesha and his hand lifted to point a thumb at his chest. "'I' have to do something, don't you? I'm not the one that dumped my coat or the wash water or whatever it was out here. I didn't feed the garden my blood." He seemed to finally get irritated with the beasties nuzzling up against him and kicked one back. 

Negash just went about his business, muttering the strange names and stabbing at the heads as Bertha split them. He was mildly tempted to munch on the chopped vegetable bits, but gathering souls at the same time seamed like cannibalism to him. That and Bertha might just bring that hoe down on his own head for nabbing a snack. Al's little declaration cleared his head of the roast cabbage smell that made his mouth water. "Wait a minute... Blood." He said pointing at Al. 

Al pulled his eyes away from the curious sight of the cabbage on fire. Instead of asking if Raen was a member of the Bennus family, he smiled at Negash. "Yes." 

"Your the damned idiot that created the undead loophole."

"You can't reconcile a soul that has a walking talking body." Al snarled. "They can't be judged when they can still sin." 

"And yet they end up on our lists every day,"Negash said with bewilderment then growing anger. "Names we have to check on even though there is nothing to take." 

Al narrowed his eyes. His arm swept down to grabbing a gurgling cabbage and he stepped closer. "And yet sin is added just for the blood bound. Just taking the blood turns their balance also drastically the have no hope of redemption!" The cabbage was thrust forward at Negash's face. "Its a damn cabbage! Literally! What in Hell will they do with a cabbage!" 

Negash pulled his head back from the cabbage and blinked. Calm eyes turned to Al. "Probably eat it."


	22. Chapter 22

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **October 02, 2012, 03:31:09 PM**

"You're damn right I mean YOU!" She lifted both her hands up and waves them around, "Its your fault this happened! How were we supposed to know some damn water was going to animate the blasted garden?!" She was shouting at him, her voice almost squeaking as her yelling wasn't something she often did so her voice wasn't used to it. "You have caused nothing but trouble since you got here, Sir! I expect you to be able to fix this!" Suddenly, Keshadei jumped with a squeal and she smacks at her dress just over the inside of her left thigh. A soft thump is heard & she jumps backwards away from the vegetable that had managed to work its way up her leg with its vines, "What if these things make it to the village?! How am I supposed to explain cabbage with teeth?!?" She waved a hand at the ground then, desperately indicating how pretty much the entire garden was now moving, "How the hell did it spread so fast?" 

When she saw one cabbage set afire, she moves backwards yet again away from it & looks at Raen, who happened to be the one closes to it at the time, "I said we CANT set the garden on fire!" Nevermind the fact that in her current state, she didn't realize that there was currently no explanation as to HOW the cabbage 

was on fire. She turned to Bertha who was still wildly waving around her gardener's hoe. She caught the "weapon" with a hand and forced the woman to look at her, "Bertha!! calm down and go outside the garden's fence. Make VERY sure none of these little beasts make it past you and towards the town!" She then shoved the woman away, pushing her towards the direction Kesha wanted her to go. 

Then she turned back to Alucard & Negash who were currently arguing. She stalked up to both of them, standing between them and glaring angrily, "Really?!? Is this the time for this?! I don't know what the hell you two are talking about but that means it's not helping!" 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **October 05, 2012, 01:17:02 PM**

They were arguing. While she continued to back away from the two approaching heads of cabbage, Al and the stranger were arguing! The one cabbage continued to burn, even as her eyes couldn't be torn from it. Even Kesha's shout concerning the fire and all of them having been told not to set the garden to fire didn't register much reaction from her...at first. But then she was repeating to herself "Not me, wasn't me..." It couldn't have possibly been her. She couldn't set fires without matches or a lighter. She couldn't do that! It was just chance...or someone else doing it. And yet, while she was pretty much freaking out, the two approaching cabbage grew nearer and nearer, and she was at the fencing around the vegetable patch. The fact that she was suddenly feeling trapped and so uncertain, she simply just kicked at the cabbage, wanting to be rid of them in the only way she was sure she could manage. Surely they could be kicked away just like a soccer ball... 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **October 11, 2012, 05:26:33 AM**

Bertha gave Kesha a nod, although her eyes dared to Raen and her protests of not starting the fire. The girl was the only one close enough, but the red man was watching. So it could have been him. All she knew for certain was that Kesha didn’t do it. Walking through the garden was a chore with the plants fighting back. Each step was entangles with living vines that tried to trip her. Nothing that a few kicks and hacks couldn’t fix. She took up position at the garden gate. Wishing the stone wall was a few feet higher, Bertha watched the vines feel the stones for openings. 

“You let him live here, Kesha?” Negash asked with disbelief. “I’ve heard rumors that he’s a bad weed that plants roots too deep to move... but this?” A hand waved around the garden. “I didn’t expect the rumor to be so literal!” 

Al’s hat lowered until nothing showed but his grinding teeth, barred and snarling. “Watch your tongue, Reaper. I’m sure I wouldn’t run out of souls before I managed to destroy yours.” 

“Let’s not try, shall we?” Negash said sensibly as he unconsciously lifted a cabbage leaf to his mouth. At the last second, he realized what he was doing. Negash threw it down before he forgot again and ate it. “Damn ,are you trying to turn everyone?” 

That made Al smile. “As marvelous as that plan is, there is no way I would be allowed to control so many again.” Such an act would have him sealed again. If he had tried such a tactic when he raised his army, there would have been less work to do. Infecting the food supply to gain control of an entire country was much more effective than turning one at a time. Who would have thought his blood could water plants so well. His head rose as he lifted the cabbage to study it over the rims of his glasses. “She doesn’t have teeth.” Al said. Poking a finger at the beasty’s, he pried the split head open and looked at its version of a mouth. “More like prickles or thorns on the edge. Not a single bit of white enamel anywhere.” With all his poking, the vampire plant knew where Al was and had even gotten a taste of him. As Al rubbed on the edge of its mouth, the plant’s lips closed in around his finger and started to make sucking noises. Al obviously though it was quite amusing from the smile on his face. 

“Lord!” Negash said in a frustrated sigh. “You have a soft spot for the things you create, don’t you?” 

“SSsssoft?” Al hissed and his arms dropped into fists at his sides causing a squeak out of the creature in his hand. “I am in no way sssoft, Sir. And there is no need to burn the damn garden. You’ll only send up contaminated ash into the air and spread it faster.” He didn’t mention that he could tell it had already spread past the garden walls. The rain had done that on its own without the plants leaving their plot. “The rain... It has rained during my sleep hasn’t it?” He seemed to remember the soft pitter-patter of water droplets falling on him in his dream. Most likely that was just the rain outside intruding into his own little world. “It hasn’t changed all the plants either,” although he suspected they were contaminated. How far down the line could watered down blood reach? He was tempted to let the experiment continue but an order was an order. Crouching, Al drove one hand into the earth, grabbed hold of a root and yanked. The creatures attached to the root system were pulled back to the ground so hard and quickly their heads popped off. Like pulling the beads off a string, Al decapitated them all with one pull. The rooted vine in his hand was squeezed tightly and all the moisture, Al’s blood, was recovered through his hand. “There, do your dirty work, reaper.” He dropped the dried twig to the earth. Whipping his head in Kesha’s direction, Al defiantly demanded, “Better?” 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **October 11, 2012, 04:56:35 PM**

"No!.. I mean, yes.." Keshadei put a hand to her face to rub it a few times as the chaos around her pulled her mind every which way. She gave a sound of exasperation as her hand dropped with a flop & she turned to Negash, "I barely even know this man! He recently arrived here but then something happened, he got sick. He's been sleeping in a guest room for awhile until he got better. Which was only recently!" She shot her foot out slightly to kick at another oncoming cabbage, "I haven't had much choice!" She had been trying to be a good lady and tend to the sick, at least with nothing more than a bed to rest in. Apparently that decision has backfired on her, if what Negash has heard is any indication. 

She looked at Alucard at his sudden, angry outburst. She even shrank back slightly when she could see nothing but his angry mouth all but growling his words out toward Negash. Kesha shook it off quickly and stepped over a few moving lines of vegetables to put herself in Alucard's face, forcing him to see nothing but her. Damn men and their contests. "This is not helping! You two can bloody well have it out later." Suddenly, she does an about face and is once more looking at Negash, "And how the hell does he know you're a reaper?" Obviously, it could have been from Negash's behavior with the first few..dead veggies.. but Al had seemed to know from the onset what Negash was. Was this just one more trait about Alucard that she'd have to concern herself with? Although his seeming dislike of the divine may suit her, who knew. As she watched Negash throw the leaf down, then heard his words, her eyes widened as his meaning hit home & the light bulb turned on in her head. Slowly, she takes a few steps back and turns again to look at Al, "Are you two telling me that if any of these damned tainted vegetables get loose, the entire population could be turned?" Again that hand came up to her forehead with a sigh, "Oh god give me strength" She looked through her fingers at Al when he started playing with one of the heads of cabbage. Eyes wide in disbelief, her hand slides to pinch at the bridge of her nose, "She? You're giving these things genders?" She couldn't help but just stare at him, baffled, as the cabbage suckled on his finger like a calf with its mother, letting Negash just say it all. 

She looked up at the sky, then drifted her gaze downwards towards the ground, "Yes, it must have rained. This is an utter disaster." She jumped backwards away from him when his hand suddenly drove into the ground. When the deed had been done, Keshadei starred as the 'heads' rolled. A few even tapped her on the foot as they moved about looking for a place on the ground to settle. She watched with fascination, "Yes, that's better. Though I'm not sure if that was monstrous or fascinating. Well done, Sir." With that, she moved to where Bertha had planted herself and leans on the wall, "Bertha, we're going to have to just get rid of all this." she cringed at the woman's shriek & put out her hands, palms down, to try to calm her, "I know, but I don't want to risk anything happening to the villagers. We'll just have to make the food from the other gardens last further than normal. Make sure the kitchens that serve the guards know we'll probably be having rationing with certain foods." Turning away so she wouldn't have to listen to the big woman squawk, she moved back again towards Al & Negash, "I can't believe you were sent here for the souls of vegetables'' While they busied themselves with their bickering & work, Keshadei turned towards Raen to check on her, "Are you alright?" She glances down to the scorched area where one of the heads had suddenly caught aflame. Knowing that Raen was closest to it at the time, she figures the best place to start with that mystery is with her, "What happened?"

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Al_thenolifeking** on  **December 06, 2012, 04:53:10 PM**

“I can’t believe it either,” Negash said in a huff as he stuffed the gathered souls into his pouch. “Ridiculous bloodbeast messing with mother nature...” He glared at Al and shouted, “Find a different hobby.” Negash started to pull away but turned back and pointed at Al. “And a new hat. That one is as ridiculous as you.” Usually, he wasn’t one to be so petty, but someone was playing a practical joke on him. Such an assignment was pointless. Although seeing Kesha again was a pleasure no matter the circumstances. He drew closer to Kesha to bid his farewells. “Where the time and place to actually work for us once, I might have a better chance to know you, Lady Keshadai. First, the mishap with my sister and now someone playing tricks on me. Perhaps someday our paths will cross in a favorable moment.” He bowed his head, spread his wings and took flight. 

Al moved over to Bertha, tucking the plant he held inside his coat. He ducked her first irritated swing at his head but kept moving straight to her. When he was an arms length away, he snapped out an arm and caught the top of her head under his palm. Holding her still, he said, "Calm thyself." 

Bertha's struggling ceased. Her eyes were clear and focused as she said a few choice words under his thrall. "It's your fault." The tone she took was steady and without malice but the words distinctly said how mad she was. "We could starve. Those vegetables are all we had to rely on for fresh food if we have bad hunts. Dried and stored only last so long. What about the ground? Can I plant in spring?" 

Al scowled. "How the Hell should I know? I'm not a gardener." He lifted his cross to his lips to know on, which caused some disbelief (and a bit of relief) in Bertha's eyes. "But I do know master mason who loves the ground and all that planting, pruning and gathering business." Al's eyes studied how tall the woman was and straightened, gaining an inch or two on her height. "As beautifully impressive as your height and size are, he is still greater. A woman of you exceptional caliber could surely sweet talk him into making a garden grow a bit quicker than normal." A pat on her head and he brushed past her massive, blushing form. He stopped a few steps past the entrance and clicked his cross in frustration. It fell to his chest with a clink. "What is the best way to get a message to MoonRae's. I'll be damned if I go the way I came. Literally." He started walking again at a snail's pace. "Zeta might take it as an invitation to keep me if I travel that way so soon." 

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Raen** on  **March 21, 2013, 08:31:40 PM**

As quickly as everything had escalated, Raen was shocked to watch as the attacking vegetables seemed to lose their viciousness following Al striking his hand into the ground. Only when none of the vegetables were making any movements at all did Raen relax enough to move away from the fence. While the others seemed to be talking still over what had happened, she was taking cautious steps back to where she'd been standing when the fire had spontaneously started. Kesha was joining her...and asking about it not much later. Raen's head shook. "It wasn't...I didn't...couldn't..." She was stammering, probably not making any sense at all. She'd screamed at the vegetable, and it had ignited. That wasn't her doing. She wasn't involved. She had just been standing there, shouting for the thing to get off her leg when it happened. Then she looked to Kesha as though the woman might have an answer. Any answer. She couldn't possibly have done it...


	23. Chapter 23

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **December 06, 2012, 04:53:10 PM**

“I can’t believe it either,” Negash said in a huff as he stuffed the gathered souls into his pouch. “Ridiculous bloodbeast messing with mother nature...” He glared at Al and shouted, “Find a different hobby.” Negash started to pull away but turned back and pointed at Al. “And a new hat. That one is as ridiculous as you.” Usually, he wasn’t one to be so petty, but someone was playing a practical joke on him. Such an assignment was pointless. Although seeing Kesha again was a pleasure no matter the circumstances. He drew closer to Kesha to bid his farewells. “Where the time and place to actually work for us once, I might have a better chance to know you, Lady Keshadai. First, the mishap with my sister and now someone playing tricks on me. Perhaps someday our paths will cross in a favorable moment.” He bowed his head, spread his wings and took flight. 

Al moved over to Bertha, tucking the plant he held inside his coat. He ducked her first irritated swing at his head but kept moving straight to her. When he was an arms length away, he snapped out an arm and caught the top of her head under his palm. Holding her still, he said, "Calm thyself." 

Bertha's struggling ceased. Her eyes were clear and focused as she said a few choice words under his thrall. "It's your fault." The tone she took was steady and without malice but the words distinctly said how mad she was. "We could starve. Those vegetables are all we had to rely on for fresh food if we have bad hunts. Dried and stored only last so long. What about the ground? Can I plant in spring?" 

Al scowled. "How the Hell should I know? I'm not a gardener." He lifted his cross to his lips to gnaw on, which caused some disbelief (and a bit of relief) in Bertha's eyes. "But I do know master mason who loves the ground and all that planting, pruning and gathering business." Al's eyes studied how tall the woman was and straightened, gaining an inch or two on her height. "As beautifully impressive as your height and size are, he is still greater. A woman of you exceptional caliber could surely sweet talk him into making a garden grow a bit quicker than normal." A pat on her head and he brushed past her massive, blushing form. He stopped a few steps past the entrance and clicked his cross in frustration. It fell to his chest with a clink. "What is the best way to get a message to MoonRae's. I'll be damned if I go the way I came. Literally." He started walking again at a snail's pace. "Zeta might take it as an invitation to keep me if I travel that way so soon." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **March 21, 2013, 08:31:40 PM**

As quickly as everything had escalated, Raen was shocked to watch as the attacking vegetables seemed to lose their viciousness following Al striking his hand into the ground. Only when none of the vegetables were making any movements at all did Raen relax enough to move away from the fence. While the others seemed to be talking still over what had happened, she was taking cautious steps back to where she'd been standing when the fire had spontaneously started. Kesha was joining her...and asking about it not much later. Raen's head shook. "It wasn't...I didn't...couldn't..." She was stammering, probably not making any sense at all. She'd screamed at the vegetable, and it had ignited. That wasn't her doing. She wasn't involved. She had just been standing there, shouting for the thing to get off her leg when it happened. Then she looked to Kesha as though the woman might have an answer. Any answer. She couldn't possibly have done it...

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **March 22, 2013, 02:20:55 PM**

Turning briefly towards Negash as he departed, a flush was on her cheeks as she gave him a quick curtsy before he departed. Watching him for a short time as he flew away, she sighed and once again moved towards Raen. At the sound of Al's calm tone Kesha looked over with a slight frown, "She hardly needed to be enthralled. She would have calmed down eventually." Raen's muttering brought her attention back to the matter at hand. Instead of replying, Kesha looked about the two of them at the ground. There, a charred head of cabbage.. there, the spot where the head of cabbage had been before it had ignited & rolled away. Nothing else was present which would explain what had set the vegetable on fire. Muttering herself, but loudly enough to be heard, she was still looking around when she bothered to reply to Al's inquiry, "You could do what any normal person would do & send a letter. Either by the couriers or by bird." She spun around, still trying to find a logical explanation but her eyes settled on Raen. The only possible source. Still, she spoke to Al, "Or you could attempt one of the youth's at the academy. Every now & then they can manage to get a message sent." Stepping to Raen, she put her hands on the girls shoulders and squeezed gently in an attempt to sooth what was obviously a distraught young woman, "It probably wasn't you, Raen.. but its possible that it was. We don't know enough about you or your heritage yet so there's no reason it couldn't have been you. Maybe you've a mage somewhere in your line.. or an elemental of some kind." 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **April 04, 2013, 09:22:17 PM**

“By Bird?!” Al said, causing the cross to drop out of his bite. Spinning half way around, he looked at them over one shoulder. “Damn... If I hadn’t told Corvus to get lost I could have gotten a message through right away.” Lifting the cross again he held it between his teeth and chewed. “Birdbrain actually listened for once.” A regular bird would go through Mei and he wasn’t ready to flat out tell his grandmother where he was. Corvus might still do it, but it was doubtful to be a clear message. 

Keshadei had made more than one suggestion. It was at least half his fault the manor might suffer so that irritating weed of guilt was growing in his mind. Grey didn’t have to know it was him sending the message. “Couriers... or a student.” It stopped him mid though and he pondered. “What your running some kind of psychic academy or something?” He shook his head at the notion before getting an answer. “ Never-mind. What am I thinking? They are just children. Whatever skills they have are being trained so it isn’t something to leave to chance.” 

He heard the discussion Raen and Kesha whispered back in the garden. “I could help you with lineage.” It just might work. If the letter came from someone else, in someone else’s handwriting, no one would be the wiser. He turned back around without looking too eager. Al focused on his boots and knelt down to buff a bit of dried cabbage off. “Bit of an expert on that. Maybe I could trade a little information of her background if you write up a letter for me.” It was possible Kesha didn’t know just how out of place the girl was. Even if the girl had confided in the Lady, she might not have mentioned everything. It wouldn’t be too difficult to track down Raen’s bloodline. Well it might be if he couldn’t travel his normal paths, but it gave him another reason to stay. Not that he was looking for better and more lengthy reasons to stay... He’d already agreed to train the guard, stop the vermin and fix the garden. Perhaps agreed was wrong. Guilt was definitely getting the better of him. “Whada ya say? A little genealogy for a letter?” 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Keshadei** on **May 23, 2013, 01:16:51 PM**

"Yes, by bird, you oaf! We're on a damned island, the options are limited if you haven't noticed." Keshadei was obviously frustrated & it was showing in her manner of speech as well as the fact that she had started pacing a few steps in each direction. Generally she found pacing to be an unladylike action but when she was distressed in any way, she did so without even realizing it. Her hands even came up a little as she rolled her eyes, "Of course they're being trained. They have to learn somehow, don't they? We often send messages through them so they can get the practice." What an irritating man! She grumbles under her breath, still pacing back and forth, "If it's really that important, you can have one of the professors send it, for that matter." Kesha slowed in her pacing as his topic of conversation suddenly switched. It raised a little suspicion in her but her instincts weren't so unnerved by it to give her any real alarm. She frowns a little, glancing at Raen then to Alucard again as he was brushing away at his boots. She had managed to stop pacing but her arms crossed over her chest as she tilted her head at him, "Why the sudden interest in Raen? Besides, you can write, I'm sure.. why not do your own letter?" She had to admit, she was curious about Raen's background and it was obvious that this man had unusual means of finding things out. But she never stepped into any arrangement blindly, not even one seemingly as simple as this one. "Besides, who's to say she doesn't already know her lineage? She could have gotten curious enough to look.." Raen hadn't, actually, but Kesha wasn't going to say that now. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **August 10, 2013, 10:39:03 PM**

"Because, woman, I'm not inclined to shout out where I am at the moment." Al gritted through his clenched teeth. Wasn't that a bit obvious? Perhaps not... he kept running into people he knew; not many people, but enough to put him on edge. "Corvus's was bad enough. Luckily few can understand him clearly. Syric will only come for me if I am needed. He knows well enough to leave me be. If my cousin Grey comes out here, I'm not going to be the one to explain it all to him." Al tugged his coat tight by shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "A letter should suffice to catch his interest. The land will keep him occupied. He's not one to dig deep for questions." Turning his head away, Al squinted through his glasses. "If I don't show myself, he won't ask where I am even if he suspects this was my doing." 

"I'm on sabbatical," he repeated his claim from the first day. “Writing a letter... yes I CAN write. I can read and write in several languages. But writing a letter in my own hand and in my own voice would be a red flag waving to my location.” Al’s eyes found their way to Kesha’s hair again and he stopped without realizing it. There was no breath to be seen, no natural sway that breath and heartbeat caused. Not a blink moved his eyes. 

The solid handle of Bertha’s hoe came down on his shoulder with a warning thump. “Stop staring at m”lady, you beast.” Bertha ordered. 

“Oh come now!” Al cried, throwing a hand in Kesha’s direction. “Talk about red flags. What else am I supposed to stare at. You should be glad I’m not staring lower.” Al’s eyes returned to look at Kesha over his glasses with a smirk on his face. “Wait, do you have some husband hidden away in your little school that’s going to throw down a glove every time I look your way?” Lifting his hands, he rolled his clenched fists over and under. “Someone to come to blows with? I could still use a good fight.” 

“M’lady needs no man telling her what to do.” Bertha grumbled. 

“Ahaaa,” Al drawled out. His hands slowly lowered again even as his glasses slid over his eyes. “No man. Interesting.” Tearing his eyes from Kesha he looked at Raen. “Just like Raen. I have thought Raen interesting from the beginning, just as I intrigued her. Information I have or can ascertain would be of value to her. I’ve been to her country.” It was true in its own way although he doubted it was the same century. “I’m sure she is curious to hear any new news of her homeland.” 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Raen** on **December 03, 2013, 10:06:44 AM**

She couldn't look away. That spot where it had ignited and burned was where her eyes were locked. They both were there, discussing a letter, but she wasn't hearing it. It was that spot. She wanted to be sure that hadn't caused it to ignite. She had shouted at it. She had been focused on it. It was possible that it was her. Keshadei was even suggesting it... Raen did glance at the woman then, almost not seeing her. But she did frown. A mage or an elemental...her lineage... But they knew nothing of her lineage! She had never known. Where had her blue hair come from? Her thirst for blood? Who was even responsible for her blue eyes, as menial a thing as that was? But Al wasn't missing an opportunity apparently. He was first trying to bargain information about her for a letter written for him. But then, when Kesha tried not to give in to the curiosity they both had about her own self, Al was trying to entice her. Home... Back home, where she would never see again. She could never go back because there was no way. Or no one to take her. 

It felt as if expectations were weighing heavily on her. Could she be swayed to write a letter for Al in exchange for information? Raen blinked, frowning, looking between the two of them. But then her gaze drifted downward, to the spot where the cabbage had spontaneously burned. She frowned deeper. "I...want to know...if I did it..." That was all she wanted to know at the present time. It wasn't possible, she wanted to believe, but with so much not known about herself, she couldn't possibly believe her own thoughts. "I will try...to write your letter." She probably shouldn't have been agreeing so quickly either. 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **December 07, 2013, 05:35:50 PM**

The man's suggestion about him staring lower was enough to pop Keshadei out of her mind's frustrated confusion. She glares at him for a time & doesn't say a single word in reprimand to Bertha having popped him as she may have had Alucard been a more typical guest. When Al's eyes moved from herself to Raen, Keshadei's form shifted to put herself between the two of them. She didn't know the man well enough to allow him to stare at the girl in any manner. Raen had enough to deal with without some potential ogre of a man leering at her. 

"Raen will decide what information she may or may not find useful, I won't get in her way about that. However, I don't like you trying to lord such things over her head to try to get something that you want. Its not right & I won't have it." Kesha scowls at him once again before turning to face Raen with a rough shake of her head, "No, you wont. I'll handle his letter as I won't allow you to do any favors for him in exchange for anything. If he's such a noble creature, he'll help you anyway." Glancing again back at Alucard with an obviously doubtful look, Kesha hugs Raen gently, "We'll figure out this... issue" she said it with a dismissive wave of her hand at the spot where the vegetable had combusted, trying to suggest it was nothing at all. A trivial matter. 

"for now, lets get back inside & get our wits about us." She puts her hands on Raen's shoulders, trying to turn her and lead her back to the house. "We'll sit you down in your favorite chair & have a nice drink made for you." Kesha keeps walking, calling over her shoulder and rudely not even bothering to wait for Alucard, "Sir, if you'll meet me in my office, I'll get the letter written for you." In her office.. without Raen. She had some words for this man & a few ground rules to lay down when it came to the girl. She wasn't liking this one bit.


	24. Chapter 24

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **January 27, 2014, 12:25:37 PM**

"I'm not a noble." Al called after them between cupped hands to make his voice carry. "What was that all about?" Al asked when Kesha had ushered off the girl. Al didn't follow and continued to watch the bright red mass on top of Keshadie’s head bob away. 

"Men!" Bertha barked and let out a 'harumph'. "Tryin' to come between a woman and her child. Lady Raen might not be from our Lady's womb but she's been taken in as such." She shook her hoe at him. "Don't you be making eyes at that girl." 

"Raen? She can't be more than a few decades old. Why would I be interested in a blue haired child when such a scarlet hued beauty is present?" He muttered in confusion. His hat lowered and most of his face was hidden between his colar and brim. "It would be like lusting over my sister." A shiver passed through him. Soon enough, he looked sideways over his collar at Bertha who look torn between wacking him again and asking questions. The look turned into a wide grin. "Granted, I'm a horrible influence on children, but I'd pass on before harming one. They are only worth dealing with when they pass that first decade so the young are safe from my bad habits...usually." He noted Bertha had leaned forward on her hoe and was watching him with a doubtful look. "Now, Lady Keshadei on the other hand..." 

"Beast!" Bertha hollered and brought her hoe up, over her head for a downward strike. 

Al swept sideways out of the way and plucked a shovel from its resting pace on the wall. He caught her second strike with one hand on the shovel like it was a sword. "She is a woman worthy of protecting. Not some simpering thing that lets a man come along and send her to her room." 

That caught Bertha off guard. From the look on her face he thought Bertha took Him for that sort of man. Her words proved it. "And you're not?" 

Al scoffed at the thought with a loud laugh. The shovel started spinning in his nimble fingers. "Far from it. And I'll run off any man that is. I already got rid of Heartswood." 

That made Bertha smile. "Never did like 'im. Always talking down to her. Askin her if she needs the dumbest things. Helpin so much that she has to do things twice cause he helped her right back to start." 

Lifting a hand up in an oath, Al said, "I promise not get something off the top shelf unless she asks me to." Bertha gave him a smile of impressed praise. That was like an invitation to him. "She's the type of woman to lead the charge isn't she? A woman you want to be back to back with when you take a final stand... ah that's a real woman. Someone who stands up for herself and and those she cares for? Like you, right Bertha?"

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Keshadei** on **February 18, 2014, 11:04:30 PM**

“At least act like one!” was Kesha’s reply to his insistence that he isn’t a noble. To her, nobility wasn’t just the title, it’s also a behavior. That was her only reply as she ushered Raen into the manor like a hen herding a chick, “Lets get you something to drink that will calm your nerves.” 

Bertha had been standing there within hoe’s reach of Alucard and regarding him with suspicion. He said he had no interest in Raen but he sure seemed to have already become protective of the young miss. Bertha wasn’t sure if she should believe him or not but right now she had no reason to not do so.. but the moment he even acted indecent towards the little miss, she’d be ready! Bertha’s hands even tightened on the handle of the hoe at the thought. She huffed again, “Don’t go doin nothin to influence the girl, either! She’s a lady & doesn’t need you ruining things for her! Lady Keshadei has plans for her.” As any Lady would have for one they’d taken under their wing, it was assumed. 

The big woman was soon leaning on her hoe, which had caught in the ground after her second swing after her little mini battle with Alucard. She was a strong woman but she was still a big woman. Though the garden was her life.. by the looks of her, she seemed a woman who such activities would have made her breath heavier & worn out but she did this work every day. She was ready for another round but she was pleased by his initial response & instead contemplated his question. She’d have plenty of chances to get him under her hoe, she figures. 

One arm leaned her large frame on the hoe, the other had its hand on her hip as a wide & proud grin pulls on her lips in regards to her Lady, “The Lady is logical & strong in tactics.” She shifts her weight as she contemplates how to explain herself to this oaf, “I hear stories at the taverns of the Lady leading charges & even put herself in the middle of a fray. Right there in the mix, ready to get herself killed.” Bertha’s big hand came up to shake a finger, “But she’s smart & knows her weaknesses. She’s strong & fast but she also knows her magic can be better than any of her..um.. racial talents.” Her cheeks flushed a bit as she recalled having originally come here with a dislike of vampires & found herself under the employ of not only a vampire but a vampire who kept demons as pets. It had taken a lot of learning to get her to where she was today, “Her ladyship recognizes when it's best to hang back to use magic & will do so if it will shorten the battle. She would never have anyone fight her battles for her.” Then Bertha’s grin got even bigger with an almost playful hint to it as she swung the hoe back upwards, “yes, like me! You better listen to me about that little miss! You be good to that girl.” 

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **September 10, 2014, 02:07:03 PM**

"Yes mame', Bertha mame'. Lady Raen will receive no attitude or actions that she would deem unbecoming." Al said with a smart salute of the borrowed shovel. Seeing it still in his hand, he gave the shovel a thoughtful look even as Bertha's eyes narrowed on it. "I need to test the soul in the graveyard. Wouldn't do to have the Lady's relatives waking up. I'll bring this back tomorrow morning." Frowning as he turned to look at the garden, he adjusted his statement. "Wait, morning will be a bad time." 

"On account a you bein' a vampire?" Bertha asked, hoping he wasn't talking about the garden being worse. He acted like a vampire all flamboyant and toothy. Then she thought about the cross he was holding earlier. 

"Vampire?" The question in his voice would make anyone doubt it. "You see me plenty during the day. Just not tomorrow. Or however long it takes Grey to fix this mess." A wave of the shovel was aimed at the garden. "Later tonight then. I'll be coming by to make sure you've quit messing and fussing over the garden. It won't do for you to lose sleep. Go to bed." 

She turned like she would go into her little house to do as he said but jerked back around, flushing. "Like I could be sleeping with the garden like this. Don't be puttn me in some thrall!" 

"I've never enthralled you, woman!" Al said pointing at Bertha with the shovel, then shouldered the shovel and gripped his lapels. "I lowered the fever in your blood, calmed the beating of your heart and eased the strain through your veins. Not once did I touch your mind." A look of calm was on his face, much different from his smirks and leers. Bertha's blood was cooling and slowing inside her as the adrenaline of excitement faded away to leave her quite tired. "I will get Grey Earthshaker here to fix this mess. Straighten if you must, but no more work. Get to bed so you will look fresh and friendly in the morning." 

He left her there to do as she wished, knowing he'd alleviated the heart condition inside her body. A glance back brought a smile to his lips as he watched the woman give up her straightening for retiring to her cabin.

"Good girl." He said softly and continued to walk towards the graveyard. "The Ladies can wait a bit and calm themselves." Al patted his pocket and was rewarded with a rolling purr. "Lets get you planted where you won't do any harm." 

The mausoleum he'd claimed was easy to find again. This time when the music filled his head, his soul eased a little at the words, driving the madness that had overcome him even deeper inside. Al drove the shovel into the earth as he sung: 

We all have something that digs at us,   
At least we dig each other   
So when weakness turns my ego up   
I know you'll count on the me from yesterday   
If I turn into another   
Dig me up from under what is covering   
The better part of me   
Sing this song 

Al put the dirt in an urn that once held plant just outside the mausoleum. Satisfied with the amount, he hefted up the stone bowl and moved towards the locked door. Only it wasn't locked anymore. The lock was crushed and the door hung open just a bit. "When they recovered my coffin." He muttered quietly. Deciding between fury and gratitude was impossible at the moment so he settled for satisfaction that he didn't have to break the lock himself. Al nudged to door wide open and carried the container in. 

"Now... where to leave you?" A quick scan over his new dwelling and the dead still arranged made him think it shouldn't be too obvious. "Hmm, what if someone wondered in again? It wouldn't do for you to eat them or something. Should I name you for that little movie? Eh? Little Shop of Horrors? How about Audrey III?" The pot landed with a low thud in a front corner of the second room and Al pulled the turned cabbage out of his pocket. 

-eeeee- Audrey III said through a split that passed for a mouth. 

Al chuckled and pushed the root like appendages into the dirt. "No one should see you back here. And there is plenty of dirt in your pot. To bad I can't have Grey check to see if I planted you right." He frowned as he watched Audrey III settle down into the dirt. "I mean do I water you? Is this enough sunlight." His eyes drifted to the meager moonlight that streamed through the first rooms stain glass windows. "I suppose so since you were hiding in the shadows." Turning back he shrugged his shoulders. "Things that come from me tend to be tenacious creatures. You'll be fine. Now to find the Lady's office." Al pointed a finger at Audrey III and in a firm tone said, "Stay! Staaaaay. Good girl," and patted its head. 

It was all the though he gave to that problem for the moment. Next was to make a quick check of the grounds, assess the damage and check on the guards. He puttered about, scaring a few sleepy guards and generally avoiding Kesha's office until he managed to find the right words for the letter. He needed to find Richard to warn him about blood-thirsy vegetation. It might have been a little sooner if he hadn't knocked out one of the guards with his borrowed shovel. "Bloody Hell." Al swore as the guard fell senseless to the ground. The shovel was spun back to rest on his shoulder as Al turned enough to watch the guard and his route. Someone should come by soon enough to relieve him from guarding a guard. "Bloody Hell." 

When a guard rounded the corner and spotted Al, he turned tail and ran back the other way. "What the Hell!?" Al shouted. His swearing and frustration was short lived as the guard came running back with Richard in tow. Al glowered at the runner as he spoke to Richard. "What is wrong with these people? I'll give him an ounce of credit that he got you, Richard, but he should have stayed by his post and signaled a warning back." The shovel came down and tapped the guard on the head, though much lighter than the felled guard. 

"Ow! Wrong with us?" The guard blustered. 

"Sir. I've had 3 reports of attacks. You can't go around hitting them with shovels, " Al's lifted brow made Richard adjust his statement. "Not yet at least. Give them a little time." 

"Bah! We had no time in the war." Al sneered back. 

"But we aren't at war now, Sir" 

Al gave Richard a solemn, knowing look. "Richard. Do you truly believe years of peace outweigh years of war? All around us is war even if we might be having a few peaceful moments. A thousand year can pass with only a handful of years without war. Men are not a peaceful lot."

"I'll grant you that, Sir," Richard responded glumly. A sigh escaped him. "Why do you have a shovel, other than to hit the guards?" 

Lifting the shovel to glance at it, Al gave a half smile. "I borrowed it from the gardener. I was actually looking for you. We have a bit of an..." tapping his chin, he thought of the words for the letter. "An incident, yes. The vegetation has seemed to have turned. So far there are only cabbages running about, to nip at our heels. But the danger is undetermined at this time. I suggest we steer clear of the frolicking foliage for the time being and just keep track of sightings. A letter will soon be on its way to Moonrae's to request the aid of the master mason, Grey Earthshaker. He's good with the ground," he tapped the other guard again with the shovel just to prove a point. "And surprises." 

A nod was given to the one on the ground. "Kevin, get William back to the barracks," Richard said as he pulled Al away from the guards. Kevin move to try and wake William. "That's a rehearsed speech. What did you do?" 

Al scowled at Richard. "I did nothing. Some fool put my coat in the wash and watered the garden with the laundry water. I am not to blame." Spinning the shovel between his fingers he looked for any escaped plants. "My cousin should be able to help. Do not offer that I am here. He'll most likely know anyway, but he'll keep his trap shut." 

"One can hope," Richard said softly. "We have to eat, you know. We cannot all live one blood like you." 

"I know this." Al said crisply and pulled away. "Warn the other guards. Try not to raise too much of a fuss. They could all be gone tomorrow." 

"Go get that letter sent, Sir." 

A nod was all Al gave before zeroing in on the manor. He walked purposefully to the first door he entered because it was a known route to him. Once inside the door, John appeared and offered him a bow. "This way, M'lord." 

"I know its this way, John." Al said looking down the hall to a door near the parlor. His glasses covered his eyes, but it was clear enough where he looked. "I can see her right over there." 

John managed not to stumble in surprise. The walk was short enough to cover hesitation. He opened the door, looked at the shovel with pleading eyes. "Allow me to take that for you, M'lord." 

Al pulled it slightly out of John's reach. "I'm responsible for it. I need to return it later." 

"Of course, M'lord. But if I may, I will have it cleaned so you may return it as you borrowed it." 

Al hesitated in the opening to Kesha's office, looking at the lush carpet, then the shovel and finally the clump of dirt that dropped to the stone floor. With a scowl, he thrust the shovel at John. "Yes, yes. Be careful with it." He watched John disappear, still frowning, until he was out of sight. Both of his hands lifted to tug his lapels, dislodging every spec of dirt that clung to him before stepping onto the office floor.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is unfortunately missing posts from Kesha. We had a server failure and lost some of the posted work. I still had backups of my posts but we were not able to recover some of the story. It is one chapter from the end and the last chapter was written by me. Perhaps I will rewrite the sections she wrote with what I remember later but for now, on with the tale.

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Keshadei** on  **October 25, 2014, 02:25:32 PM**

She was in her office; staring at nothing. What had just happened outside? She kept wanting to think that she had been mistaken in what she had seen, but her logical side knew that she hadn't. The entire thing was caused by Raen. This was not a talent that Raen had ever manifested before so why now? What it because Raen was getting older? Perhaps this was something that came with age, or was always there but Raen just didn't know how to use it. Worse still, maybe Raen could have used it all along & the girl simply didn't let her know about it. She frowned at that thought, hating the idea what Raen would have been keeping anything from her let alone something as serious as that. Questions continued to race through her mind as Kesha tried to piece together the events of the day. It had been quite a day, after all, considering the islands main source of some food had come to life! She sighs and leans forward on her desk. What would she say to Raen? If this was new, she was sure that Raen was nto only confused but maybe a little frightened. She really should go speak with the girl.. but not yet. Some sense had to be made of this. Kesha wondered for a moment if this was a clue as to Raen's parentage.. was it an inherited trait? If so, that may narrow down a little the number of races Keshadei had to pick through to try to distinguish Raen's line. Kesha's eyes drifted to the dusty old books that she'd had stacked about for the times in which she'd attempted to find something  out about where Raen was from. 

The plants! The recollection popped suddenly into her mind & she recalled that she had more pressing matters. Wild, hungry plant creatures could this very moment be terrorizing some unsuspecting citizen. Or worse yet, one of the kids from the academy. Oh gods, if one of those students found one of those plants, there's no telling what experiments they'd try to do to it. As if on que, the door opened & the cause of the wild plants was in the doorway with shovel in hand. Kesha's eyes closed slowly in exasperation and she shook her head, "Oh just give him the damn shovel." Finally when Al relented the matter, she came out from behind the desk after John had left & she puts one hand on her hip while the other gestured wildly in the general direction of the garden, "What the hell is all that about?! This had better be able to be fixed. Are you sure Grey can handle this? Tell me what I need to write to get him here!" 

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Al_thenolifeking** on  **March 06, 2017, 10:03:02 PM**

He closed the door behind him with a soft thump of wood. One, he did not wish others to hear what they discussed. Panic was the last thing they needed. Two, he was unsure of what he would say and did not wish anyone to hear them shouting at each other. It might not come to that, of course, but something about her stirred up the fires of war in him. He'd much rather be on the same side as her. Moving to stand before her, Al left a comfortable distance between them. 

Alucard frowned as much as his smirking face ever could. It made him suddenly look more like Shallen though he would ever accept such a statement. "This is about something that happened when I had no control over it. Even though I did not contaminate your crops, I have taken on the responsibility to get it fixed, just as I have reluctantly taken on the responsibility to fix the deplorable conditions of your defenses. I was not the one to make them deplorable, but I have agreed to aid you and your lands. I take what responsibility I claim seriously, no matter how small the shovel or big the land. This is not a task I would choose normally, but have accepted the responsibility. Had I not accepted, well," he finally smirked again returning to his usual attitude. "Then you would have had a reason to rally against me so fervently." 

"As for fixing it," Turning towards her desk, Al shuffled a few pages to the side until he could find a sheet he could write on. "Other than sniffing them out and hunting down every last little plant that moves, I have no clue how to 'fix' this problem. Other suggestions? I could come up with those. I suggested Grey come and look into the issue. The letter will be written and sent but we must come up with a plan in case he can do nothing." Pen in hand, he held it over the page, ready to jot down anything that might be useful. "Hunting them down might prove sporting to others. You could allow them to peruse the grounds for this new elusive game. Hell! Charge them a fee for the rights to hunt. If you are worried the funds won't cover the cost of fresh vegetables or that the local vegetation might be too risky to eat," The few notes he took were halted, but not scratched out. Any idea might prove useful. At the bottom of the page, he wrote bits of the letter to Grey as he thought on options. "Tell them a bushel of fresh greens for the chance to bag game they've never seen before. If I have to stand there and insure that the trade is not tainted, I will, but it will have to be worked into some schedule so it doesn't interfere with my training of the guard." 

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Keshadei** on  **March 06, 2017, 10:03:50 PM**

~Missing Kesha’s Post ~ 

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Al_thenolifeking** on  **March 06, 2017, 10:08:10 PM**

He'd been writing and nodded as she spoke. It was a few lines after he had written mages down that he stopped and backtracked to reread what she said. "Mages..." Al straightened up from his bent over position over the desk and closed his eyes. Now why hadn't it occurred to him that mages would be training in this school? She talked about her wards protecting them up until his arrival. "Zeta, you Great Meddler," He muttered. Why would she drop him in the midst of little mage studies? You don't take a drunk to a tavern and expect him not to drink. Magical blood was so expressive and distinct. Red wouldn't like it if he became some child's pet. He was such a glutton for punishment. Leaving after making his promises was not an option. When he opened his eyes he stared at a map she had hung on the wall. That was a good way to hide his thoughts. "No wonder the defense were overlooked on this isle. You are not the only one that sees mages as excellent defenders. As for letting the students hunt them...," 

AL turned with a comment of 'not a good idea' on his parted lips, but he didn't voice it. It would be a little hard  to answer why he was against it. The thought of a mage capturing and practicing magic on little pieces of him made him shudder visibly. To be spread out over the whole school, being dissected? His head moved back and forth and tried to shake off the feeling. "I'll be sure to monitor them thoroughly." His work list was getting longer and it somehow pleased him. A small smile grew at the thought of surprise visits to the students rooms for contraband checks. It faded fast when he remembered these were little magicians in training. He needed to watch out for attempts to contain him. Then again, he thought with a returning smile, evading capture was one of his favorite activities. Oh! One day this little addiction to dangerous situations would get him into real trouble. Al started to say something again but shook his head saying, "Very thoroughly." He had jotted down her idea. Still writing, Al lifted the cross from his chest and tucked it between his teeth. Speaking around his clenched teeth, Al said, "If we make it a game or contest, the students would probably take a different attitude towards a successful goal. If it's just a lesson or training, you get more wanting to slack off on the project." He stared at the pages, eyes flicking left to right as he read, then circled the part of the page he squeezed the letter on. He turned the paper towards Lady Keshedia for her to read. "This should work well enough to get my cousin to come. Just rewrite it in your hand and add any flowery," AL wiggled his fingers at the page, "proprietary to it to make seem like your words." 

His eyes looked over the rims of his dark red glasses, color sparking through the red irises like fireflies as random emotions struck him. "I've already warned Richard about the plants. The rest of the guard is being informed to stay clear and report sightings for now." Was she a practitioner? What was her specialty if she  was? "You should take greater care training your ward. That little outburst in the garden could have taken out Bertha's home. The girl's control is weak." 

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Keshadei** on  **March 06, 2017, 10:08:50 PM**

~Missing Kesha’s Post ~ 

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Al_thenolifeking** on  **March 06, 2017, 10:12:24 PM**

He snapped his teeth tightly over the metal cross with a click before pulling it free and dropping it to his chest with an exaggerated sweep of his arm. "I would think an educated Lady such as yourself would be versed in many languages. The language we need now is one that tugs at the heart of a sensitive man." He placed both hands to his chest to indicate himself. "I am not a sensitive man and can't translate." Then he pointed at Kesha. "You are obviously a sensitive woman since, again, you jump on the notion that mages are the be all - end all of defense and anyone that says different is against you. Well I happened to have been pointing out that you were not at fault that your men were trained poorly. All I am trying to tell you is you need backup in case the mages are overpowered." His voice was perfectly calm if not a little condescending. "Great Zeta! I've seen it happen and wouldn't want it to happen to you." He paused slightly and pulled his eyes away from that captivating red of her hair. "Or to anyone else here." Al fell silent and started to rock back and forth on his heels since the cross seemed to bother her so. It was a poor substitute for the cross, though, and his hand eventually found its way back to clasp the metal for comfort. The walls seemed to draw his attention and he looked past their solid thicknesses for the bloodlines in the other rooms. He looked for the girl's blood, since Keshadei talked about Raen and her new development. "Really?" Al was listening intently even if it didn't seem like he had heard a word Kesha said. Pausing his rocking in a full lean over Keshadei's shoulder, Al read over the letter. "So you didn't have a clue either, judging from both of your expressions when it happened. Interesting. Could be in her blood. That's a long line to trace, not that I couldn't manage the research. But there are some tricky bits when dealing with broken lines. Were she in her natural environment, I could start at her beginning and go backwards pretty easily. Now?" He shrugged and began rocking again. "It would be more challenging. But, you have given me plenty of challenges to deal with at the moment." The bloodlines he looked for finally came into view and he focused on them. What had been random glances at the walls became a steady stare, head moving at the pace of watching someone walking. "I'm surprised you put that new problem to the side. Then again, grandfather likes to say 'fix what you know you can fix first and deal with the unknown second." 

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Keshadei** on  **March 06, 2017, 10:14:19 PM**

~posts missing here~

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Al_thenolifeking** on  **March 06, 2017, 10:17:36 PM**

“Perfect, am I? Nice to know you think so but I admit to many flaws.” He grinned a full smile at her showing he knew very well she was being sarcastic. “I doubt they would send seasoned men here now if they haven't done it before. But why move anyone? They’re here, I’m here… it's all very convenient really. No need to send anyone back to the mainland when they might have been pawned off on me anyway. That's usually what happens when I get restless and troops arrive that they don’t know where to work them into the schedule. They give me something to do. Sydric doesn't like it when I get fidgety.” 

Al’s eyes returned to the wall with the door, following someone approaching. “I’ll leave you to the task of getting the letter to my cousin. John’s here with the shovel. I’ll make a round to see if any of the day-lighters are starting to get up yet. John can introduce me to the day staff, I’m sure.” He moved to the door and let his hand hover over the handle. “When does he sleep? Raen's already asleep, isn't she? Half day half night? You’ll be asleep soon enough. I suppose I won't see you again until this evening. What a bother all this sleeping and having to memorize when who is up and who is not.” The door was suddenly pulled open with John attached to the handle on the opposite side. Al nabbed the shovel out of his hands as John stumbled into the room. “Aha! Thank you, John.” 

“M’lord!” 

Al frowned and bonked John on the head lightly with the shovel. “I don’t like being called lord, even if I lord over something. Pick something else.” 

Lord Alucard had not complained when he first called him lord. The guard Richard had called his something else. “Sir?” John brushed a hand over his hair more to ensure it was in place than to survey an injury. “Will there be anything else?” That must be the reason there was blood on the shovel. John didn't know if he should be relieved or not. 

“Aha! Good! I’ve got the balance of the shovel down if you aren't complaining. Introductions are needed. I need to know everyone on the Isle to know who should be here and who should not. I don't expect you to know Everyone but surely you know everyone in the manor. Can you manage to stay awake long enough to present me to the staff. ” He looked over his shoulder at Kesha and winked. “No need to wake them early.” 

Looking back at Kesha was a mistake because his eyes fixed on her hair. It was going to be an impossible habit to break. He just stood there staring again entranced by the red. 

If John didn't politely point out who he followed for instructions, he might never feel he’d made up for the mistakes made when Lord Alucard arrived. Granted nothing in Al’s request was an actual order. Asking a servant if they ‘can’ do something? Captain Heartswood would demand things done. He would have ordered someone out of bed to get what he wanted. For all the old captain’s airs and manners, he was an insufferable tyrant at times. John was undecided on which was better. John bowed to Lady Keshadai. “M’lady, are there any instructions required for the day coming?” 

Title:  **Re: Bloody Nuisance  
** Post by:  **Keshadei** on  **March 06, 2017, 10:18:09 PM**

~Missing Kesha’s Post ~


	26. Chapter 26

Title: **Re: Bloody Nuisance**

Post by: **Al_thenolifeking** on **March 06, 2017, 10:24:43 PM**

“Very good, M’lady. Sleep well and know all will be done as you wish.” 

Al’s response to Kesha’s comment about misusing the servants made him draw his brows in confusion even as he gave a confused smile. “How else do you prepare them to be able to cope with the simple mundane tasks if the manor is attacked? If an orc is tromping through the halls, he should be able to look on with disdain instead of cowering in fear!” Once John had the letter in hand, Al dropped a hand on his shoulder and lead him to the door. “John, you are well on your way to keeping your composure in the most drastic of circumstances. Trust that I will let no harm come to you and I’ll trust you to stay out of the fight and keep the peasants calm.”

Having received two so strangely worded compliments in a row, John was at a bit of a loss. He simply responded with, “Very good, Sir.” 

“Ah! That’s a good man.” Al draped an arm over John's shoulders in a friendly manner. It was received stiffly. “How much sleep do you get?” 

“I sleep 5-6 hours in the mornings with occasional rests at night when M’lady is busy.” John wished to throw off Al’s arm but feared it would not help the strange sensation of worry that filled him as he imagined what the man would get into with everyone asleep. “With the school occupying the students throughout the day, it has always been much quieter than night. Thomas assists me by continuing the daytime tasks. Since the young lady’s arrival, the daily schedule has been adjusted.” 

“You mean you get less sleep,” Al countered. “I will help keep her occupied. Birds of a feather and all that.” 

“If you are unfamiliar with the location of your room, I will lead you to it again before I retire.” John offered amiably. 

“No need, no need.” Al assured as he patted John's shoulder. The man was still uncomfortable with Al’s looming figure. 

“Ah, then you remember where your room is, Sir?” 

“No,” said Al flatly. “I have no need of a room. That is the last time … well, sleep is what rooms are for and I have no desire to sleep any time soon.” Patting the worried man’s shoulder that he still held, Al laid out his plan for the day. “First, show me to the others in the manor that might have need of an explanation of my presence. From there, I will make my rounds to ensure the day guard know me as well. Not that I don't expect Richard to pass on plenty of information. I will let them settle into their morning tasks on their own and go to the cellar.” At John’s terrified glance, Al chuckled. “I will not empty your stock. I even promise I will not consume one drop. It will help energize me for the coming day. We all feed in some way or another. Once fed and allowing the guards to relax into their normal habits, I will stir them up and see how they react.” 

“God help us…” John mumbled. 

“I will not attack as I did last night. There will be no damage to the manor for you to deal with.” Al tapped the letter in John’s hand. “The moment my cousin reads that, you can expect him here. Unlike me he is polite and will enter as men normally do by presenting himself at the front gate with this letter. Bertha needs to see him so please take him to her. His name is Grey Earthshaker. Oh!” Al said as an after thought, “Don’t eat any cabbage today.” 

“Cabbage?” John was confused about the gardener, the cousin and the cabbage being somehow related. 

“Yes it is off the menu for today, probably tomorrow too… just leave it out for the remainder of the week.” If the problem wasn't gone by then, they would all be avoiding cabbage anyway. “Now, who is this approaching us so quickly?” 

“It is Mr. Thomas,” John answered. Thomas’s attention was drawn with a start and the look of worry was focused purely on Alucard and his shovel. John could tell Thomas had already heard rumors about the man. “Thomas, this is Lord Alucard of Sanguine, son of Lord Tame Uisce, grandson of High Constable Shallen Vate and Lady MeiHwa. He has recently decided to stay here.” The slight raising of Thomas’s eyebrows indicated to John the news was new. Thomas had assisted with the care of Alucard when he had been asleep for days. “He will be joining us for our morning gathering to acquaint himself with the staff.” 

Thomas gave a nod to both men. He knew from the lengthy title addressed by John that the man would be treated with proper respect. “M’lord, it will be a pleasure serving you.” 

The shovel started to come down and John caught it before it hit Thomas. “Sir! I must insist you refrain from hitting the staff with the shovel!” He straightened his lapels, not especially worried about a reprimand. “I have only just returned it to you clean and ready to be returned to Miss Bertha.” 

Al looked at the shovel instead of Thomas and spun it around to examine it. “Quite right, John.” The glasses on his face dropped down his nose and Al narrowed his eyes over the frames to look at John. “A meeting? Do I have to participate? Will this be a regular thing?” 

John saw an opportunity. God forbid he make it an order, but Al didn't decline immediately, leaving it open for John to request it. “Sir, I feel it would be beneficial to the staff and household to be informed of the current safety of the manor on a daily basis.” He did leave out the knowledge that Captain Heartswood never deign himself to inform the manor of anything. 

“Yes, yes. Fine. It will aid in me learning of everyone living here.” Al leaned over Thomas with eyes wide and whites showing, teeth bared more than grinning. “What do you think of this face for a greeting.” 

Thomas shrunk back, scared. John's eyes were wide until Al asked his opinion. “Too much, John?” 

“Quite terrifying, Sir. Probably not the response you will desire. You did mention wanting to identify everyone on the Isle. Such a face might have everyone hiding and avoiding you.” John took Thomas by the lapels in a show of straightening his coat and neckcloth. It kept the young man from running and soothed his nerves. 

“True. Don't want them running away yet.” Al straightened and a smirk of a half smile lifted his lips as he settled back into a more natural post. Hand tucked in his pocket, shoved resting on a shoulder, coat collar high over his neck and chin, Al’s face became more eerie than his overtly disturbing display. 

Thomas shuddered but didn't run. “M..m..most intimidating, Sir.” 

John gave him a nod of approval for the response and Thomas learned his first lesson in dealing with Lord Alucard. Al seemed to approve as well because he grinned and swept an arm around Thomas’s shoulders. 

“Please do not manhandle the servants, Sir, especially the ladies.” John said. “It is not considered proper.” A hand was waved forward to indicate to the group to proceed on. 

“I won't lay a hand on the ladies, John.” Al said in an exasperated tone as they walked through the halls to the kitchen. “Can’t guarantee I won't cross brooms with them,” he added with a thoughtful tilt to his head. “Nothing like making a lady lose her composure.” Another thought intruded into his mind and made him tense and frown. “Wait. Are you saying there are those that Do manhandled the ladies?” 

“Some of the men in the guard are rough and disliked among the servants.” Thomas said without really realizing it. Alucard's arm around his shoulders was like a warm blanket that made you relax on a cold night. It was his first experience with Al’s calming presence. How could such a terrifying man make you feel so… soothed. 

Al said nor asked anything more on the matter and they arrived for the morning meeting. He stood silently through John's general instructions for the day. It was the darkest corner that Al had propped himself against and the hat and collar kept the light at bay. The only time he moved was to watch the letter being handed off for a delivery to the port. A few quarrels were squelched under John’s fair ruling. Al could tell John was purposely leaving his introduction to the end. After John had informed everyone of the issues, such as the lack of cabbage and the possibility of another guest arriving. When all eyes had finally drifted to Al, the Cook spoke up. “I take it the first guest is staying on permanent like?” 

John gave an elegant nod. “Many of you have caught a glimpse of our unexpected guest,” there was a giggling titter from a few of the younger maids. John harrumphed and went on. “Captain Heartswood has been called back to the mainland with some of his men. Our new Captain of the guard is Lord Alucard of Sanguine, son of Lord Tame Uisce, grandson of High Constable Shallen Vate and Lady MeiHwa.” 

Al rolled his hand around as if dismissing the long title John was giving them. “I have heard that Heartswood and his men were worse Bastards than I am.” That caught the attention of everyone in the room. “I can be a crazy Bastard but I am here to defend you. That much you can hold true to your heart until the day I pass on. It's my job. Those men out there are here to protect you as well, otherwise being in this manor would be no better than being on your own in the wilds. This is not a brothel, so no one should be treated like they work in one. If feelings are not reciprocated, speak up.” 

One of the less bright maids scrunched up her face at the words that were over her head. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“If someone pinches your ass and you don't like it, slap the bastard.” A number of gasps moved through the room, not at his language, but at the permission. “If you like someone say it. If you don't like someone show it. I am not a prude. But state things plainly and there will be no misconceptions. I will see to it. To put it bluntly,” 

“Like you haven't already?!” the head cook interrupted, appalled.

Al grinned finally. “...Yes means yes and no means no. I will not tolerate misconduct in the guard. Bring any dislikes of their behavior to me. In return, let's have some honesty, hmm.” 

There was a moment of stunned silence. 

John blinked. He opened his mouth to say something and all eyes turned to him. They all had to get used to this new Captain. If the man's actions to present were any indication, they would all just have to get used to his crude ways. At least he was like he said: a blunt crazy bastard. John lifted his hand and rubbed his temple. “I am going to bed. Mr. Thomas is in charge. You are dismissed.” 

“Sleep well, John!” Al said cheerfully. 

“M’lord Alucard. May I show you to your room?” Thomas said with a bow in his direction. 

“No.” Al said in an exhale as he looked out the window at the guards stirring. “I best go and tell the day crew that if they make any unwanted advances to the staff I’ll kill them.” He said it with such a light and casual tone that Thomas almost missed the threat. It must have been said in jest. “I’ll come back afterwards.” Al lifted his cross to his mouth and gnawed on it as he made his way into the new light of dawn. Everyone watched him leave with a held breath, most expecting him to burst into flames like a vampire with a death wish. 

He stalked across the yard, cursing the sun, the brightness, the chill in the air and anything else in low muttering tones. Richard saw Al coming and, as tired as Richard was, he knew Al meant business. “Ho!” Richard called out to bring the men to attention. They gathered slowly, lazily and reluctantly in front of Al. It wasn’t quick enough for Al. A muscle in his cheek twitched as he frowned. 

Richard looked at Al and asked, “Have you eaten, Sir?” 

“Never you worry, Richard. We had a little meeting with the staff in the kitchen. Plenty of new blood there.” Al addressed the day crew. “I am your new Captain. My word is law. Obey the laws and we will have no problems.” 

Richard looked back at the kitchen and saw a crowd of curious eyes watching the new Captain. At least he could verify that Al hadn't fed on anyone until they couldn't move because even with their interest settling on Al, they were busy with the breakfast preparations. Richard waited for Al to say more, and when he didn't, he looked at Al. “They don't know your laws yet, Sir.” 

“You didn't list them yet, Richard? Fine.” Al bellowed out at the group. “You are servants of this land. We follow the Queen's law. When the Queen’s law doesn't cover the land, we follow the isle’s laws. Were the isle to divide, we obey the manor’s law.” 

“So…” one surly guard began. “Nothing's changed.” 

Al’s head shot toward the surly guard to look through opaque red lenses down his long nose at the man. “Everything's changed. You servants of the throne need to remember this post of yours can be lost at any time. The staff of the manor are not your servants. You serve and protect them. If they are kind enough to bring you good food, wash your clothes and keep you warm that's a bonus. Take advantage of their kindness and they will be instructed to take away the advantages they give to you.” 

“What, sos if’n I treat a girl like the servant she is, you’ll be taking away my breakfast?” There was laughter through the men and they slacked off on their alertness. They punched and jostled each other in their hilarity. “An’ who’s gonna make us? Some puffed up popijay that Syric felled who was out for 3 days?” The guard was a big fellow with more muscles than sense. He thumped his fist in his palm repeatedly. “Heard he tore right through ‘is gut.” 

After watching impassionately, Al finally commented. “What is your name?” 

“Name’s Slater and you best be remembering it.” He looked at the man beside their supposed captain. “Richard, you can keep the night watch in line and let your dandy help if you like, but the day watch ‘ll do just fine under my lead.” 

Richard let out a sigh. “Don’t kill him, Sir. We are a bit short on men at the moment since so many were sent back to the mainland.” 

Al rolled his head skyward with a disgusted sound. “Fine! Fine,” Al responded and walked slowly forward towards Slater. The guard tensed and lifted his fists for a fight. Al unnervingly kept his pace slow and Slater got anxious and swung a fist low and up into Al’s stomach, the same place he’d heard the man was injured. 

Al kept moving forward. Skater’s fist was buried into the warm wet inside of Al’s torso. The guards grin of satisfaction turn to one of confusion then fear as Al step closer. He tried to pull his fist free of Al but was forced back a step. Al bent his head down near the man's ear and whispered. “Syric didn't take me down. Our little sparring match was broken up for distressing the ladies.” 

The man slammed his free left fist into Al’s head. Sunglasses askew, Al grinned maniacally down at Slater. Grabbing Slater by the throat, he pushed the man back. 

“What! Can't you kill a man before breakfast?” Al jeered at the group of guards. “Draw your weapons! Have at thee!” 

They gave glances at Richard. A slight sly smile crossed his face and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You’d best attack. He’s waiting. You don't want him attacking first.” 

“He’s unarmed.” One muttered as he laid his hand over the hilt of his sword. 

A burst of laughter escaped Richard. “You don't want to fight him armed. Slater just had his arm through him! Does he look hurt?” 

All eyes turned to Al and observed him. One leg was tapping quickly in impatience. His lips were moving, saying a phrase over and over to himself. One guard edged closer and closer until he made out what Al was repeating. _Can't kill them can't kill them can't kill them._

Everyone attacked. He let them make contact. A guard even cut off Al’s left hand as it reached for the man. It didn't stop Al from bringing the left elbow up to catch the guard in the temple. He fell, out cold. Alucard blocked swords with his forearms and kicked out at any unfortunate soul close enough to hit. A joyous smile grew as the group fought back. But, alas, the rest fell one by one, groaning, panting or coughing. 

Al looked around for another combatant and lost his smile for a frown. Giving a grunt, he looked back at Richard. “They have spunk.” Only then did Al fetch his removed hand. There was cheering from the battlements where the night shift shouted and jeered at the men who fell to the same fate they had earlier. “This day and night division won't do. 3 overlapping shifts are better 4 are best. Splitting coverage as they eat instead of tired soldiers waiting for others to wake up and eat.” 

Richard looked back and forth between the shifts, seeing how Al pinpointed the obvious division like two sides competing against each other. He smiled at Al. “Right. Sir, you get a feel for these men and tell me who should be where and when tonight. I'm going to bed. I still sleep with my blade, Sir.” 

Pointing the left hand he was holding in his right at Richard made one guard queasy enough to punk. “Aha! Good. I'll check if you do later,” Al assured him. 

“Back to sleeping with one eye open.” Richard muttered as he walked to the barracks. 

“You're not going to sleep too,” a day shifter asked and received a sharp look from Al. “...Sir?”

“Great Zeta! No. I slept for 3 days! That's enough for a few decades.” 

Groans from both the day and night watch echoed all over the yard. Many stated, asked and demanded an answer to “He doesn't sleep?!.” 

Al put his left hand back where it was severed, rotated the wrist and wiggled his fingers. “Now,” he said to the stunned guards of both day and night shift. “Lets see how well you listen. My word is…” 

“Law,” most of the soldiers mumbled, if they were able to talk. 

He chuckled deeply with that sinister grin. “Aha! You can be taught!” He waved a hand towards the table that was being laden with food just outside the kitchen. “Eat.”


End file.
